Stop Giving Excuses To Justify Failure Of Governance – CAN Slams Buhari, Security Agents

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has told the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to stop giving excuses for its failures.

The CAN leadership said this in reaction to the recent killing of some rice farmers by Boko Haram Terrorists in Borno State.

The Christian umbrella body while commiserating with the victims of the incident, also called on security agents to wake up from their slumber and focus on their constitutional responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of the citizens.

The statement, signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant (Media &Communications) to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle noted that the massacre of the farmers is inexcusable, wicked, and barbaric and stands condemned from whatever angle it may be considered.

The statement reads: “The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned in strong terms the killing of not fewer than 43 rice farmers in Borno State by unknown persons suspected to be terrorists and calls on the security agencies to stop the unending mass killings by the criminals who now operate with impunity all over the country but more devastatingly in the Northeast and Northwest of the country.”

“We are shocked, disturbed, saddened to learn that criminals suspected to be terrorists (but for which a terrorist group had claimed responsibilities) invaded the Garin Kwashebe community and murdered the innocent farmers while harvesting their products.”

“As usual, the number of the deceased gruesomely murdered remains disputed by the Federal Government. To us at CAN, 43 was not only frightening but inexcusable by those who should have prevented it. The massacre was wicked and completely satanic.”

“A situation where farmers are being taxed by the terrorists and bandits before they are allowed to work on their farms is unprecedented and it must be stopped by the government before it is too late. We are in a recession in the country, yet, criminals are still preventing farmers from going to farm to harvest. We are not aware of any country where similar lawlessness is taking place without being adequately checked.”

“CAN calls on the security agencies to wake up from their prolonged slumber and save their image. The government is urged to think out of the box and take adequate steps to bring the terrorists to their knees rather than finding excuses to justify failure of governance.”

“Mass burials without a full scale war is unprecedented and unacceptable. We are pained to observe that killings and kidnapping of people are no longer news in the country and no one is immune from it. Why should we be watching for a nation well situated by God to become a land that is swallowing its inhabitants?”

CAN also reassured that it will continue to pray for the nation amid rising waves of insecurity but challenged the government to be more decisive in taking far-reaching security steps to rise up and do it.

It added that “continuous sympathy through press statements or condolence visit after many souls have been wasted is not acceptable anymore. What we need is adequate protection of lives and property by those we have put in charge to do so.”

“May the Lord comfort the relatives of those who were killed and save our nation from total collapse in Jesus’ name.”