Rivers CAN Mourns Victims Of Religious Violence

The Rivers State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has expressed deep concern and regrets over the death of Nigerians, occasioned by Boko Haram religious sect’s insurgency and Fulani cattle herdsmen in tolerance in various parts of the country.
Expressing regrets to what he described as ‘fake religious bigotry and extremism’, the Rivers CAN Chairman, and the Primate of the New Holy Christ Army Church Worldwide, Most Rev Isaac C. T.
Anyanasikike, described the deaths as unnecessary wastes and irreparable losses of human lives, and urged the Federal Government to wake up to the defense of the defenceless Christians and stem the orgy of violence in the various parts of the country in the current year.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, in reaction to what he described as ‘continuous’ killings of children of God in Nigeria, especially in the Southern Kaduna, the ‘Man of God’ charged the various strata of the government to wake up from slumber, utilize optimally the security agencies, mobilise opinion and traditional leaders to check religious intolerance, violence and killings in the country, even as he condemned, in its entirety, the wanton waste of human lives.
On the Southern Kaduna Killings, he noted, “CAN has therefore declared Sunday, January 8, 2017, national day of mourning, in memory of those victims, and to draw attention, both nationally and internationally to the on-going ethnic/religious cleansing of Nigerian Christians in general and those of southern Kaduna in particular, in the last few weeks.
“As a result of this declaration, the National Headquarters has directed Christians all over the country, to attend church services that day in black attire, to prove their point— condemnation and rejection of the dastardly act against them.”
On the recent violence involving Fulani herdsmen in Enugu, in which three lives were lost and a Mosque burnt, he said that the incessant crises involving the Fulanis in several parts of the country, since the emergence of the present Federal Government, rather projects the government and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, in bad light.
Anyanasikike advised the Federal Government to initiate what he described as proactive measures to deal with the issue, declaring the creation of mobile police posts to curb the killings and arrest offenders, as a lip service to religious intolerance.
“Government should stop the killings, and as well ensure that those behind the killings, are brought to book, under the laws of our land and those affected be compensated.
“Let the Federal Government, in honesty, should reach out to religious leaders—the CAN, Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Nigerian Human Rights Commission and other religious groups to deal with the matter, once and for all.
“It is rather unfortunate that, while we grapple with national economic recession, there are religious crises here and there. When it is not the Fulani herdsmen and one community, it is the Shiites against the Sunnis, or Christians attacked and churches burnt in one state or the other”, he regretted.
The Primate maintained that there was cordial relationship between Christians and Muslims in the state, appealing to other states to emulate them.
He commended the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for conducting the affairs of the state with the fear and wisdom of God, and vouched the continued support of the ‘the body of Christ’, in Wike’s resolve, to make Rivers the envy of other states in the federation.
“Governor Nyesom Wike is the first to take a decisive stance on the welfare of Christians and worship of God, since the birth of our dear state, no wonder he is the ‘Golden’ governor. His all-inclusive government has brought about peace and stability here. I make bold toassure the people of Rivers State that, he will complete the Christian Ecumenical Centre in record time,” he assured.
He noted the cordial relationship between his association and the state government, observing that it was the duty and responsibility of CAN to pray for the government and state, emphasizing that it was their prayers that saved the state from massive slaughter of human beings, in the just concluded legislative re-run elections.
Asked to comment further on the success and/or failure of the elections, he declined comments.
“We are the umbrella body of Christians, and not non-governmental organization (NGO), or a political group. We pray for the state and advise government, when the need arises. We are completely and totally non-political,” he said.
He wished Governor Wike, Rivers State and Nigeria a fruitful 2017, predicting that, if the various arms of government utilize the funds appropriated to them, as contained in the budget, operate in accordance with realistic economic blue print, the national economic recession will end before the fourth quarter of the year, and also urged the youth of the state to take seriously agriculture.
“For certain, the government cannot provide employment to all. Some will be in the business sector, while others embark on farming. There is much money in agriculture, and good enough, our soil is fertile, coupled with government’s encouragement.
I sincerely encourage our youth to pay attention to agriculture, and shun militancy”, he argued.