From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Benue State chapter, Rev. Akpen Leva, has condemned the recent killing of a pastor in Borno Kuku, in Gasol Local Government Area of Taraba State by unknown gunmen, even as he called on the clergymen in the country to be vigilant while preaching the word of God.
Rev S.I. Maji, the resident pastor of Borno Kuku was on his way to Dan Anacha in Gasol local government area of Taraba State when he was killed by gunmen who laid an ambush in the area.
Leva, while reacting to Maji’s killing, lamented that the attention of the bandits seems to be more on the clergymen these days, even as he stressed the need for clergymen to be watchful as they spread the gospel message.
The CAN chairman, who lamented that insecurity has assumed a dangerous dimension in the country, insisted that it was high time Nigerians, and particularly the clergymen, started defending themselves through legitimate means.
“No day passes by without Nigerians hearing about assassination or attacks on churches. All the attacks, abductions and killings of the men of God were carefully planned and executed, which is a pointer to the fact that no one is safe in this country, except the attackers and their pay masters.
“The sad thing is that no genuine reason can be traced to the untimely termination of the life of the man of God, as the killers did not take his motorcycle or even remove the money he had on him. They simply wanted to kill him,” Leva said.
The Benue CAN boss called on the security operatives to do everything in their power to get the killers arrested and make them face the full wrath of the law.