Members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the north, on Thursday 5th July, 2018, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to bring an end to the incessant killings in the country.
CAN made the call when its delegation from the 19 Northern States met with the president at the State House on Thursday.
The delegation, led by Reverend Yakubu Pam, said all those involved in the senseless killings of innocent Nigerians must be brought to justice irrespective of religion or ethnicity.
“While the Federal Government under the current administration is celebrating an agricultural revolution, most farmers, especially in the north, can no longer go to their farms due to the sustained attacks by armed herdsmen. We, therefore, urge the government to reconcile its priority by providing the necessary safety for the farmers to go on with their farming activities.
“We observed that the continuous abduction of underage Christian girls who are forcefully converted to Islamic religion and given out for marriage without the consent of their parents breeds religious disharmony.
“We, therefore, wish to state that the situation does not only violate the fundamental human rights of the girls but is also a call to anarchy if such actions were to get an even score by the Christian population. The appeal, therefore, is for your quick intervention to ensure that the numerous girls held under such circumstances are released to their parents.
“In the spirit of the above observation, we wish to demand that intensive and speedy actions should be taken for the release of girls in captivity, especially Leah Sharibu.
“That all perpetrators including the so called foreigners as alleged of these heinous crimes against humanity in parts of northern states should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others
“The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency make adequate provisions for farmers who have been adversely affected by this undesirable herdsmen attacks.
“We are appealing to Mr President to call on his colleagues in politics, irrespective of the political parties, to work together and make 2019 election free and fair and a model for all other African countries
“In conclusion, we want to appreciate Mr President once more for granting us an audience and for your attention. It is our sincere prayers that all will be well with Nigeria under your leadership, Amen!” He said.