Fred Ezeh and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja, and  Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, said that the ongoing crisis in Southern Kaduna with the attendant destruction of lives and property has shown that Nigeria is at war against enemies of the state.

The umbrella body of Christians, in a statement by media aide to CAN president, Pastor Bayo Oladeji, accused the federal and state governments of insincerity in managing the crisis.

Part of the statement read: “There’s no doubt that victims of these incessant assaults are indigenes of Kaduna State, who are mostly Christians. But the question is, why is it the predominant Christian Southern Kaduna all the time? Don’t we have Northern Kaduna?

“While the senseless murder is not desirable in any part of the state or Nigeria, the continuous assault of the Southern Kaduna people has become highly suspicious and alarming. Only a fool or somebody who is a party to the evil would not know that there is something fishy.”

CAN also registered its disappointment with the statement credited to the Presidency that the bloodshed in Southern Kaduna was politically motivated.

“Where is the statistical evidence for that? Who are the politicians involved in the inhuman and callous act that the federal authorities have failed to apprehend or name? Do they have the right to be doing this scot-free if it is true? While the present bloodbaths in the southern part of Kaduna State has shown to be acts of criminality that should have attracted sanctions, the lacklustre disposition of the government in stopping further massacre of Christians and decimation of their communities by terrorist herdsmen speaks volumes on how government values human lives and genuine intervention.

“Should the gunmen and terrorists be more powerful than a legitimate government? Why couldn’t the state government with federal authorities go into the bush where these herdsmen are and apprehend them? Why couldn’t they mop up the ammunition with which they are doing havoc?”

CAN, however, regretted the fact that despite assurances from Governor Nasir el-Rufai to bring the perpetrators to justice, the state and security agencies involved in the maintenance of law and order, were yet to fulfil their pledge.

CUPP: Nigeria now killing field 

                                                                     Spokesman of the  Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP),  Ugochinyere Ikenga,  at a press briefing in Abuja, said the service chiefs having spent five years in office, have nothing new to offer to the country in terms of performance and, therefore, underserving of being allowed to continue in office.

“The opposition cannot continue to indulge this president and believe that he will change. This president still has close to three years left for his regime to constitutionally run out. We can no longer stand on the sidelines and watch him destroy our country irreversibly. We must put all hands on deck to make this country work whether the President likes it or not. We believe that the Federal High Court will grant our prayers and invariably terminate the illegal extension of the tenures of the service chiefs, cause a legitimate change of guard and revitalise the very low morale of troops at the various theatres,” he said.

Ikenga said  at the inception of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government in 2015, the government had promised to tackle insecurity,  fight corruption and revamp the economy. He, however,  regretted that  despite the spate of insecurity across the country,  President Buhari had retained the service chiefs against wise counsel that demands their removal and replacement with new blood.

“Under the watch of this regime, Nigeria has been turned into a killing field. The colour of our rivers is now red with the blood of innocent citizens. The regime has failed in its fulfilment of the primary purpose of government, which is the protection of lives and properties of citizens. We now have different nomenclature for different theatres of blood in the country. In the North East it is called insurgency; North West, banditry; North Central, herders/farmers clash, while in the states of southern Nigeria it is referred to as kidnapping.”

Northern Christian elders seek security chiefs’ sack

Christian elders under the aegis of Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), yesterday, called on President Buhari to rejig the national security architecture beginning with the replacement of the service chiefs.

Chairman of NOSCEF, Ejoga Inalegwu, in a statement said killings and destruction of property in communities in the Southern Kaduna had continued unabated for too long with security establishments unable to stop it.

The  elders who lamented the deteriorating security situation in the country, said criminals were having a free reign to terrorise Nigerians in their homes and on highways, even with the presence of security men and numerous roadblocks.

“The unbecoming justification of the attacks as reprisals by the federal and state agencies can only embolden the attackers to continue to unleash mayhem on the people, hence, NOSCEF condemns these massacres and calls on the state and federal governments to heed the cries of the people. NOSCEF wish to again reiterate its call  on President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig the nation’s security architecture to effectively tackle the insecurity in the country.

“We are deeply saddened that while the service chiefs, who have failed in their duty to secure the nation, were reporting ‘wonderful successes’ in their North West campaign against banditry to the President, Christian communities were being attacked and killed in Southern Kaduna, as if Southern Kaduna is not part of the North West.”

APC govs laud Buhari’s handling of security, economy

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his handling of security issues and the economy.

They particularly noted the success recorded in pulling the country out of the 2016 economic recession as well as the ongoing management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governors under the aegis of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), who spoke through their chairman and  Governor of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, also thanked President Buhari for taking the right steps to resolve the crisis in the party.

“We are proud of your leadership and achievements,” the governors told Buhari during a virtual interaction which also had Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in attendance..

In his remarks, President Buhari lauded members of the Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker Committee for the work they were doing in repositioning the governing party.

He expressed delight over the work that the Caretaker Committee has been doing.