Christians in Nigeria on Sunday took to the streets in some states of the federation to protest the heightened insecurity in the country.
The protests were in compliance with a directive from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) last week, that all Christians March against the killings and shedding of bloods in the country after three days of fasting and prayers.
In Lagos, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Pastor Enoch Adeboye led some members of his church on a massive protest.
Their message was no more terrorist killing of Christians and innocent Nigerians.
Other parishes in also marched within their areas with the same message.
In Okitipupa Local Government area of Ondo State, members of the RCCG in their large numbers were also on the streets to protest against security breaches and incessant killings in the country.
The Christians, who converged on the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Holiness Cathedral, Ondo Province Five, sang solidarity songs and carried placards, some of which read: “We say No to terrorism”, “Stop the killings of Christians”, “Every soul matters to God”, “Shed no more blood, it cries to God”, “God hurts when His creatures hurt”, “All souls are precious to God” among others.
According to Pastor Johnson Umoren, the Provincial Pastor, RCCG, Province Five, the essence of the protest was to pass a message to the Federal Government that Christians could no longer bear the incessant killings.
He said that the country belonged to everybody residing in it, adding that Nigerians should learn to live in peace.
“The killings are getting too much, especially killing of Christians in the Northern part of the country.
“We say no to shedding of innocent blood; this protest is to send a message to President Buhari and the international community that the blood shedding must stop,” the pastor said.
One of the protesters, who represented the women, Mrs. Flora Amehim, also said that the killings and raping of women must stop.
“This country belongs to all of us and we must live together in love and unity; we can no longer tolerate the killings and raping of women; this must stop now,” she stated.
Mr. Dayo Oyekan, a youth leader, also noted that the youths were tired of being wiped out by the terrorists through incessant killings.
He said: “We are being pushed to the wall gradually with all these killings; we want the killings to stop so that the government does not invoke the wrath of the youth.”
In Benue State, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Akpen Leva led other Christian leaders on the protest with the message that “enough is enough.”
“We pray against the killings of Christians in Nigeria. Enough is enough.
“What a nation where people are killed on daily basis and our security are helpless, a nation where we conduct mass burials than we conduct weddings, where a cow is more valuable than that of a humanbeing, where a set of people claim responsibility of killing innocent people, yet they are roaming about freely without arrests,” he said.
Rev. Leva described as babaric, the way and manner the CAN Chairman of Michika in Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi, was beheaded stating that “We do not have confidence in the leadership of the nation anymore. We are tired of the killings.
He noted hat Nigeria was a secular state called on the federal government to be quick in dealing with the security crisis in the country.
Also, in compliance with the directive of CAN, some members of the Association in Ekiti state, matched to the streets of Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital to protest incessant killing of clergymen and other Christians in some parts of the country, by herdsmen and Boko Haram terrorists.
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They tagged their protest: “Stop Killing of Christians in Nigeria.”
The protesters comprising Christians of various denominations, in their hundreds, marched through major streets of the state capital singing songs and expressing displeasure with the deteriorating security situation in the country through placards with various inscriptions.
Some of the placards read: “Stop the killings,” “We must unite against killings in Nigeria,” “Christians demand justice,” “It is inhuman to take life,” “Citizens must be protected from killers,” “We Christians are the main victims”, among others.
The State Chairman of CAN, Rev. Fr. Peter Olowolafe, who addressed the protesters, bemoaned the current security situations in the country, describing it as unbearable.
He explained that Christians in the area, had decided to join others in the country to embark on the peaceful protest to show their grievances over the unending killings in the country.
Olowolafe, cited several killings in the country in recent times, to include the murder of about nine church leaders and several Christians within the last one month.
From the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kogi State chapter, the message to President Muhammadu Buhari was stop the killings or resign.
As members protested the incessant killing in the country, the protesters urged Buhari to take decisive actions to save lives and stop the killing of innocent Nigerians across the country.
The state chairman of CAN, Dr. John Ibenu who addressed a press conference on Sunday at Chapel of Freedom International, Lokoja, to mark the three-day prayer and fasting declared by the CAN National President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, said: “We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ‘Act Now’ to save lives. If he fails to act rightly and promptly, then posterity will judge him for standing with the enemy of the people. There must be no more sacred cows.
“Nobody is a singular custodian of ideas. When people are not performing the duties for which they are employed or appointed, they must give way for others to come in.
“In civilized societies, when people cannot perform, they voluntarily resign. Lives of citizens must matter and not political interest, patronage or sectional relationship.
Kogi State CAN stands 100 percent by all position of National CAN. The three-day prayer and fasting we have done for the nation is a RESCUE OPERATION because even the government has acknowledged their helplessness.”
Recall that the national body of CAN had declared three days of fasting and prayers for Nigeria in all churches, from Friday, Jan. 31 to Sunday, Feb. 2.
The body had directed that the fasting and prayers be rounded up by a prayer-walk in form of procession by all Christians to be led by States’ CAN Chairmen on Sunday.
Additional Reports From NAN
