Friday Olokor, Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigerian has condemned the killing of Christians in Southern Kaduna describing it as ethnic and religious cleansing by “Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen”, with evil intention of wiping off non-Muslims.

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for his relentless war against the Boko Haram terrorists since assumption of office, CAN however, said it was pained by “his silence over the ongoing genocide in the last few weeks.”

The General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake, said Buhari’s silence over the ongoing genocide in the last few weeks “speaks volume over perceived official endorsement of the dastardly and ungodly acts.”

He said, “In view of the present predicament, the President of CAN has directed that Sunday January 8 2017, should be declared national day of mourning by Christians including those in Diaspora.

“We are to pray fervently for our Southern Kaduna brothers and sisters who are victims of these wanton killings and also for the peace of our dear country Nigeria. Therefore, all Christians are to dress in mourning attire of black clothes or dresses in all our church services on January 8 2017. We are to pray that God who delivered the Jews from Haman should deliver Christians from Hamans in Nigeria. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.”

CAN also called on all Christians in Nigeria and on the global scene to speak against the “ethnic and religious cleansing to wake up the Nigerian security agencies from their deliberate slumber to carry out their responsibilities.”

Asake said, “Though the church in Nigeria since 2009 has been subjected to a systematic genocide and persecution through the instrumentality of Islamic fundamentalists Boko Haram, leading to the killing of thousands of Christians and destruction of hundreds of churches, and over 50,000 houses, the current unprecedented onslaught against Christians in Southern Kaduna by the Islamic fundamentalists disguising as Fulani herdsmen under the watch of Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and President Muhammadu Buhari has reached an alarming stage.

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