Governments not doing enough to protect Christians in the North – CAN

By Sylvester Ugwuanyi on August 24, 2016

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has decried the recurring and unabated spate of the killings of Christians in the Northern part of the country on account of alleged blasphemy, stressing that such killings have become too many and requires urgent attention. Recently, about eight persons were killed on Monday in Talata-Mafara community in Zamfara State following violence that erupted over alleged blasphemy by a student of the Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata-Mafara. The student was alleged to have made a blasphemous statement against Islam and Prophet Muhammad and was consequently attacked by a mob.
But the Chairman, Northwest Zone of CAN, Bishop David Bakare, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, ‎said, “It has become necessary to make this statement in the face of the incessant unwarranted killing of Christians in Northern Nigeria.

“Northern Nigeria in recent time has become killing fields where Christians are murdered without restraints and governments at all levels are doing about it.
“In Kano, a Deeper Life church pastor’s wife was accused of blasphemy and killed, only for everyone to hear later that she never uttered any word of blasphemy against Islam or Mohammed.
“During Ramadan, a young man was attacked by Moslems and severely wounded in Kaduna because he was found eating during fasting.
“There is the well publicized hacking to death of a Redeemed pastor’s wife in Kubwa, FCT. And then the ECWA pastor who was murdered in Nasarawa State.

“Just last Friday, a Redeemed pastor was shot in his farm by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Kafanchan, Kaduna State. Few days ago in Zamfara State, a boy was accused of blasphemy and attacked. The incident led to the killing and burning of eight Christians in the state.
“Early this year, the Zamfara state government pulled down several Christian places of worship including an Anglican auditorium, a Catholic building and an NYSC Secretariat chapel among others.
“Beyond government rhetoric, nothing concrete has been done to stem the tide. These heinous crimes continue unabated. No arrest has been made, no one has been prosecuted. This inaction on the part of government leads one to say that governments at all levels have abdicated their responsibilities of securing lives, especially lives of Christians in Northern Nigeria
“On behalf of Christians and the CAN president, we call on the federal and state governments to rise to the occasion and ensure that this Zamfara incident is not treated as the other ones. Arrests must be made, the perpetrators must be made to face the full weight of the law so that justice will be seen to have been done. If these are done, then shall all Christians in Northern Nigeria have confidence that they are secured here,” he stressed.