The president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) His Eminence, Dr Samson Ayokunle on Monday took a swipe at federal government’s effort at fighting insecurity especially banditry in the country, saying it as not only below the expectations, but largely discriminatory.
He noted that presently in Nigeria, God is the only refuge of His people and not the government.
He spoke on Monday during the national conference/retreat of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) in Abuja.
According to His Eminence, “Blood-letting is the order of the day by criminals masquerading as Islamic religious terrorists, bandits, kidnappers who carry fellow human beings for money from the family members of kidnapped people.
“Ritual killers are equally on rampage with little done by those in authority to apprehend these criminals. If they do at all, it is not only below expectations, but discriminatory. Only God is the refuge of His people in Nigeria today, not the government. Many school children are currently in the hands of kidnappers for years and months without a clue from government security agents on how to rescue them.”
The CAN boss who also spoke on the economy, inter-religious activities and CAMA said the level of borrowings by the federal government has risen to the highest heavens.
“Borrowing has doubled and the number of unemployed young people has increased which has also heightened insecurity and eased their recruitment into criminalities.
“However, we have been constantly meeting with our Muslim counterparts for inter religious dialogue in order to douse the tension in the land especially the one created by religiously-skewed political actions.
While lamenting on some provisions of Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2020, he said, “The voluminous law which was supposed to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria has many provisions that contradict the constitution of the country, therefore constitutes a rape on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.
“The church in particular has her life endangered by the law. While CAN’s effort is ongoing in seeking amendment to the law at the National Assembly, we have equally challenged the law in the court.”
Earlier in his welcome and goodwill message by the international chairman of OAIC, Most Rev Daniel Okoh, he said the retreat is coming at a time that Nigeria is passing through hard times.
“While we discuss issues that confront us in our nation, let us not forget the leadership role that OAIC plays. I urge OAIC leadership in Nigeria to reposition itself to be more active and relevant in the country.
The two-day conference is on the theme ‘OAIC in Leadership: A Decade Benchmark in Perspective’.
