CAN Fears Collapse Of Nigeria After ‘Satanic’ Borno Killings

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has reacted to the killing of about 43 rice farmers in Borno State,saying it was a sign that the federal government had failed in its responsibility to protect lives and properties of Nigerians.

CAN said it would continue to pray against the collapse of the country after alleging that Nigeria was now “swallowing” its citizens instead of protecting them.

CAN urged the security agencies to wake up from their prolonged slumber and save their image, while it called on the federal government to “think out of the box.”

CAN made its views known in a statement signed by the Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji.

“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.

“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.

“May the Lord comfort the relatives of those who were killed and save our nation from total collapse in Jesus’ name.”

Recall that the murder of some rice farmers in Borno by terrorists had attracted widespread condemnation, locally and around the world, including by the United Nations (UN).

But the federal government had promised to among other things, cooperate with neighbouring countries on bilateral and multilateral levels, so as to stamp out terrorism.

However, CAN stressed that an urgent action is needed to save the country from collapse.