Killings: CAN declares 3-day prayers, fasting

By Okorie Chioma

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July 6, 2018

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared July 9 to July 11 as National Day of prayers and fasting programme against the killings across the country.

The association also called on all Nigerians, both within and outside the country to take part in the programme.

The President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle made the announcement in a statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Special Assistant, Media & Communications to the CAN president, on Thursday in Abuja.

Ayokunle said that the decision was hinged on the willful and persistent killings of fellow citizens in general and Christians in particular and mostly in Plateau and Benue states where mass burial has become the norm.

“CAN is worried, disturbed and disappointed that despite all the clarion calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to re-organise his security team by replacing all the security chiefs, he has consistently not responded to such calls.

“From all indications, the President seems to be satisfied with their poor performance and the attendant problems that have led to the avoidable loss of lives and property,” he said.

He called on all Christians in the country and diaspora to participate in the three-day prayers and fasting programme for God to end all the senseless, unwarranted, and selected killings in the country.

“If the government has failed us, we are very sure that our God will never fail,” he said

He disclosed that all the National Executive Committee’s members of the CAN, the church and denominational leaders have been invited to participate in a peaceful protest march to both the National Assembly and the States House to impress on the government to see the need to effectively stop the unprecedented killings.

Ayokunle said that the association has also directed its leadership at the state and local government levels to organise the same peaceful protest march to the Government House and the Local government headquarters respectively on July 11.

“We will tell the government enough is enough.

“I appeal to all members to be law-abiding before, during and after the peaceful protest,” he said.

He expressed disappointment to the ungodly and unlawful counsel from the Presidency for people living under the threat of the Fulani herdsmen to give away their land or face death.

“The only time such a directive was given was during the tyrannical leadership of Ahab when he killed Naboth, who refused to let go of his inherited land to the greedy, wicked and the ungodly king Ahab.

“Although, he succeeded in killing Naboth, the wrath of God did not spare his family despite his remorselessness.

“Those who use violence to take away what belongs to others are unfit to be called humans,” he added.

The CAN leader, however, called on Nigeria to rise up and speak against such a position and killing of innocent citizens.