It is not a surprise that Buhari has constantly stood behind his conviction that the current actions of the JTF and the federal governments declaration of the state of emergency were both illegal and not the best way to go in resolving the security crises that the northern part of Nigeria is facing, but guess his words have not gone unnoticed as yesterday the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, called on security agencies effect the immediate arrest of Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) saying he constitutes a security risk.
The association, according to a statement by the Special Assistant to the CAN President on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Kenny Ashaka, on Tuesday, also described as unfortunate Buhari’s decision to throw his weight “behind a blood thirsty sect” without considerations for the hundreds of Christians sent to their early graves. He said it was not expected of an ex-head of state.
Buhari was said to have accused the Federal Government of double standards in dealing with the issue of Boko Haram, during a radio programme on Liberty FM in Kaduna.
He was said to have questioned the “special treatment” given to the Niger-Delta militants by the Federal Government, while the Boko Haram members were being killed and their houses destroyed by the government.
But Oritsejafor, who said Buhari should be arrested and made to account for his reckless statements, described the ex-Nigerian leader as a fanatic with an alleged link with the dreaded sect.
The Oritsejafor also noted that it was shocking that Buhari would be indulging in careless statements while all well-meaning Nigerians were praying for the success of the military operations in the three northern states, where members of the Islamic sect had increasingly wreaked havoc.
According to him, Buhari as a national leader should have been more concerned about the killings of innocent ones by the sect members and the success of the troops rather than acting as a megaphone for the sect.
But in his reaction, the Publicity Secretary of CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, told The PUNCH that CAN, under Oritsejafor, had become more political than religious.
He said, “The CAN, under Oritsejafor, is more political than religious; in any clime, religious leaders have always been the moral conscience of the nation in ensuring that the ship of state is not in peril.
“After the incendiary protests of the 2011 elections, Pastor Oritsejafor, without any verifiable evidence, called for the arrest of General Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly being responsible for the protests,” he said.