The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has, has asked the Department of State Services, the police and other security agencies to fish out and arrest those behind the gruesome murder of a pregnant woman simply identified as Fatima and her four children in Anambra state.
The apex Christian body described their death as ‘totally unacceptable, unjustifiable and reprehensible’, and demanded a decisive action by the government to bring the culprits to book.
The President of CAN, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, also called 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 in the region
The statement read, “The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned, in strong terms, the gruesome murder of Lady Fatima and her four innocent children by some “unknown gunmen” and demands for justice as it calls on security agencies to fish out those responsible for the wicked act in order to stop the senseless killings in the country.
“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 (IPOBs) to stop these criminalities in 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 Southeast to a ‘No Man’s Land’ in the interest of the founding Fathers of this country who hailed from the zone.
“Their actions are not only giving the Ndigbo 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 Honourable member of Anambra State House to Assembly, Okechukwu Okoye. May God console and comfort them as He pours healing balm on their wounds in Jesus’ name.”
