…Says loss of Rice Farmers to Terrorists is a National Disaster and Shame
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned in strong terms the killing of not fewer than 43 rice farmers in Borno State by unknown persons suspected to be terrorists and calls on the security agencies to stop the unending mass killings by the criminals who now operate with impunity all over the country.
In a statement issued on Saturday through Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant (Media & Communications) to the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, the association said it was shocked, disturbed and saddened to learn that criminals suspected to be terrorists (but for which a terrorist group had claimed responsibilities) invaded the Garin Kwashebe community and murdered the innocent farmers while harvesting their products.
“To us at CAN, 43 was not only frightening but inexcusable by those who should have prevented it. The massacre was wicked and completely satanic”, the association said.
CAN therefore call on security agents in the country to wake and defend the life and property of every Nigeria, adding constant expression of sympathy through press release is no longer acceptable but the government should do everything possible to the killings.
The statement reads in parts: “A situation where farmers are being taxed by the terrorists and bandits before they are allowed to work on their farms is unprecedented and it must be stopped by the government before it is too late. We are in a recession in the country, yet, criminals are still preventing farmers from going to farm to harvest. We are not aware of any country where similar lawlessness is taking place without being adequately checked.
“CAN calls on the security agencies to wake up from their prolonged slumber and save their image. The government is urged to think out of the box and take adequate steps to bring the terrorists to their knees rather than finding excuses to justify failure of governance. Mass burials without a full scale war is unprecedented and unacceptable.
“We are pained to observe that killings and kidnapping of people are no longer news in the country and no one is immune from it. Why should we be watching for a nation well situated by God to become a land that is swallowing its inhabitants?
“While reassuring all that we at CAN will not give up praying for this nation and giving pieces of advice to the government, we urge the government that is supposed to be more decisive in taking far-reaching security steps to rise up and do it. Continuous sympathy through press statements or condolence visit after many souls have been been wasted is not acceptable anymore. What we need is adequate protection of lives and property by those we have put in charge to do so”, CAN said.
Signed
Pastor Adebayo Oladeji
