From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said on Tuesday, that President Muhammadu Buhari has lost grip on the leadership of Nigeria, going by his inability to provide security for citizens of Nigeria.
CAN, therefore, suggested that the President should seek foreign assistance before it’s too late, calling on international communities to come to the aid of Nigeria as they did in Syria, with the excuse that the leaders are incapacitated and are not humble enough to admit failure.
CAN’s position was, perhaps, in response to the increasing attacks and kidnapping of Nigerians particularly school children, with reference to the 140 school children that were kidnapped on Monday by bandits at Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna.
CAN, thus concluded that abduction and kidnap for ransom have become a thriving business in Nigeria, hence the urgent need for government to change approach in responding to the increasing crime and general insecurity in Nigeria.
CAN President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle Olasupo, in a statement released in Abuja, on Tuesday, accused the government of being lackadaisical in their approach to rising armed violence against Nigerians, especially in schools, roads and other soft targets.
He said: “Kidnapping and abduction are now a thriving business in Nigeria and it’s almost becoming synonymous with the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It’s evident that this administration is just paying lip service to the issues of security. Whereas, provision of adequate security for all Nigerians was one of the campaign promises of the President in the 2015/2019 general elections and the major reason people voted for him being an ex-military man. But the administration has failed woefully to keep campaign promise.”
CAN recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan was severely criticized by those currently in government for his inability to curb the activities of Boko Haram, “but today we are not only being harassed by Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) who recently appointed their own governor for Borno State, we are terribly traumatized by bandits, kidnappers and other criminals.
“Nigeria is no longer a safe haven. It has gradually become a den of kidnappers and other criminals who are operating almost unchecked. It’s obvious that the security operatives are overwhelmed.”
CAN thus appealed to the President and his Service Chiefs to, as a matter of priority, rise to the situation as nobody is to take responsibility in the first instance than them.
It demanded that they improve on intelligence gathering as a matter of priority and provide employment to make recruitment of young Nigerians into criminality unpopular any longer.
CAN warned that the story of the 140 innocent pupils of Bethel Baptist College, Kaduna must not be like the story of Chibok Girls who are still missing till date despite plummeted boast and blank promises by the administration in 2015 to recover them if they win the election.
It challenged the President to ensure a safe return and reunion of all the pupils of the students to their families and others in captivity. In addition to that, summon all the security Chiefs and cause them to explain why the criminals are operating with ease in Nigeria without being brought to book.