The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commiserated with the victims of recent flood disaster and the wanton killings in the country, just as it tasked government at all levels and relevant agencies to wake up to their responsibilities.
Rising from the meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC), the Christian umbrella body expressed its disappointment, worries, shocks and grief over the loss of lives in the country in recent years due to some unavoidable factors and urged government at all levels and security agencies to revive their intelligence gathering.
On the missing General Idris Alkali, CAN wondered who is safe and secured again if an Army general could be attacked and be missing for weeks now.
It charged the security operatives to wake up to their responsibilities and protect lives and property of all and sundry.
On the flood disasters in some parts of the country, the Association warns the populace against violating the environmental laws even as it calls on the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify efforts in educating the people on how to prevent flood in the country.
CAN which received the report of the Panel that investigated some allegations against its leadership expressed disappointment in the failure of the petitioner to appear before the Committee and passed a Vote of Confidence on the President and caution members against using the media to settle personal scores.
Full Text of the Communique after the meeting reads:
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) held the meeting of its National Executive Committee (NEC) at its National Headquarters, Abuja on 11-12 October, 2018 under the leadership of our able President, His Eminence, Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Adeniyi Ayokunle.
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At the end of the Meeting, the following resolutions were adopted:
1. We commiserate with all the victims of the recent flood disasters in the country that led to the loss of many lives in their hundreds, rendered thousands of people homeless, jobless, helpless and hopeless.
2. We resolved to identify with some of the victims within our capacity as we called on the three tiers of government to intervene with a view to assisting all the victims.
3. We call on relevant agencies of the government especially the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to intensify efforts in educating the people on how to prevent flood in the country through the media.
4. CAN cautions the populace against violating the environmental laws that are largely responsible for flood disasters.
5. We also ask both the Federal Government and the government of Cameroun to be on the same page whenever the latter wants to release the water that flows naturally to the country.
6. CAN also commiserates with the family of the missing retired Army general, Idris Alkali and appeals to relevant security agencies to do the needful to ascertain what has become of him.
7. We urge them to do a thorough investigation with a view to unmasking those responsible without subjecting the innocent to an untold hardship.
8. CAN also asks the security agencies to set up a powerful Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate those who are responsible for the unending killings in the country especially in the Plateau State with a view to stopping it and compensating the bereaved and other victims.
9. It is disappointing, shocking and worrisome how thousands of people are being killed for months with the government appears helpless.
10. After going through the Report of the Panel that looked into the Petition by an official of the Association against Our President, we endorsed the position of the Committee which exonerates him on all the frivolous allegations and caution our members against going to the media to settle personal scores.
11. CAN reminds its members with the PVCs to ensure they vote in the coming general election according to their conscience and cautions them against engaging in votes buying.
12. CAN appeals to the political parties in the country to avoid hate speech, violence, votes buying and other electoral frauds.
13. We appeal to all Nigerians, irrespective if their ethnic, political and religious persuasions to shun votes buying, political violence, and every form of electoral fraud.
14. We ask the electoral umpire, INEC and all the security agencies to be neutral and apolitical with a view to conducting a free, fair and credible poll in 2019. Their recent performances, according to reports, were everything but neutral and impartial.
15. CAN asks the Federal Government to be sensitive to criticisms and cautions its spokespersons, especially, one Lauretta Onochie, to stop abusing and insulting the leadership of the Association who are speaking our mind to the government. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees the freedom of expression to every Nigeria.
Pastor Adebayo Oladeji,
SA (Media & Communications), to the CAN President, Rev Dr Samson ‘Supo Ayokunle.
