Christians Severely Persecuted in Nigeria, CAN Insists
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, has insisted that Christians are being severely persecuted in Nigeria, saying that he was disappointed by the response of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, to America’s categorisation of Nigeria as a country where Christians were severely persecuted.
Speaking to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital at the weekend, Ayokunle said, “when has the Sultan become the spokesman for the federal government? He should have allowed the federal government to react to the US since the categorisation was not directed at him.”
“I shall tell it to his face that his response to the issue was disappointing because we didn’t direct our statement to him. Why was he defending the government?”
“I read of the positions of the church and the Islamic group and the position of America and came to a conclusion that anybody who is a participant in what has been happening in Nigeria should know that Christians have been at the receiving end, and insecurity has led to the death of so many people in
Christian-dominated areas like Benue, Taraba, which is more than 90 per cent Christians; Southern Kaduna with more than 80 per cent Christians; Plateau State, more than 90 per cent Christians, and northern part of Adamawa, Muibi and so many others.
“If we cannot take the bull by the horns, we will not be able to face the truth, we will not be objective. Maybe the last song we will hear is: ‘To your tents, O Isreal!’
“America did not direct their categorisation to the Muslim group; they directed it to the Nigerian government. So, it was not to Sultan at all. Our own response was not to Sultan or Muslims. So, people who can put one and two together will say what is the concern of Sultan about the American statement and the Christian statement? None was directed to him. The government said they didn’t accept the categorisation. I wouldn’t expect them to say less because they will like to defend themselves. You know, God is a God of the truth; while it was being denied by the Muslim group, the insurgents came up again and said during this Christmas season, ‘We have slaughtered 11 Christians’.