The Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), yesterday warned the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), against criminality in the South-East region, noting that the groups activities are giving Ndigbo a bad name.
CAN also condemned in strong terms the gruesome murder of Lady Fatima and her four innocent children by some unknown gunmen.
The Christian body, in a statement signed by Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant to the CAN President, Rev. Dr. Samson Ayokunle, demanded justice for the victims while calling on security agencies to fish out those responsible for the wicked act in order to stop the senseless killings in the country.
The statement read: This criminality is totally unacceptable, unjustifiable, and reprehensible to CAN and all right-thinking people. We call on the security operatives to wake up to their responsibilities. The criminals are now operating with impunity while those who are expected to stop or apprehend them appear powerless. This cannot be the dream country of those who fought for her independence from the colonial masters.
It is disheartening and unfortunate that nowhere is safe again in the country, as killers, bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers are on rampage in every nook and cranny of the country and all the government is able to do is to issue periodic statements condemning them without any decisive action to bring culprits to book.
CAN calls on the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra to stop these criminalities under the pretext of fighting for independence. Are they fighting for a country for the dead or the living? They should know that their criminalities are not helping the case of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
They should not turn the South-East to a No Mans Land, in the interest of the founding fathers of this country who hailed from the zone. Their actions are not only giving the Ndigbo a bad name, but they are creating an atmosphere for Ethno-religious wars. Will a reasonable group be committing crimes like this?
We call on the political elites, religious leaders, and the traditional rulers of Ndigbo extraction to prevail on the violent groups in the eastern part of the country to stop needless bloodshed and tension they are causing for economic prosperity and wellbeing of the region.
CAN commiserates with all the bereaved of the senseless killings especially the immediate family of lady Fatima and the recently murdered member of Anambra State House to Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye. May God console and comfort them as He pours healing balm on their wounds.
