Following the killing of two Catholic priests and 17 other worshippers in a church in Benue, Christians across Nigeria on Sunday, April 29, protested against the killings of their fellow believers and other innocent citizens in the country.
The protests was sequel to a directive from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that all Christians in the country protest peacefully on their church premises, demanding an end to the attack of Christians.
The Guardian reports that Christians in Ibadan, Oyo state staged a peace protest to condemn the killings in Benue state.
The Guardian newspaper for Monday, April 30, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com
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They passed a vote of no confidence in the service chiefs and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack them and restructure the nation’s security apparatus.
The Christians who threatened to campaign against President Buhari if the killings of Christians continue, blamed the president for what they described as poor handling of security in the country and excesses of Fulani herdsmen.
The Nation reports that the Kano state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (NAN) chose prayers instead of a protest.
The state CAN chairman, Rev Adeolu Samuel Adeyemo, said the chapter decided to pray for divine intervention to end the killings of innocent Nigerians.
He said: “The Alleged herdsmen killers are mercenaries. We demand the Federal Government to declare and treat them as terrorists.
“The military should confront them as thus to stop the dastardly act of theirs and, as well, demand that Federal Government should look out for their sponsors and bring them to justice.”
“We demand the need to go the extra mile to free the Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu and all those abducted by the terrorists irrespective of tribe and religion."
In a related development, The Punch report that Christian across churches in Benue state have vowed to work against President Buhari candidacy in the 2109.
The Punch newspaper for Monday, April 30, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com
The newspaper reports that many worshippers of various Christian denominations wore black attire to mourn the killings in the state.
The Kogi state chapter of CAN, which joined the protest on various church premises, called for the immediate stoppage of the killings.
The Kogi state chairman of CAN, Bishop John Ibenu, called on the federal government to set up a truth and reconciliation commission over the attacks.
“It is a national day of prayer and protest, Christians don’t protest; if we have to, that means the issues have reached the peak.
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“Killings have continued unabated and have been taken to the church. There is no grass for cattle to eat in the church, but the herdsmen invaded the church and killed worshippers.
“Government must act to make sure that this was not something aimed at the church but started in the farm,” he said.
Meanwhile, This Day reports that a chronology of the deaths it compiled has shown that a total of 901 persons have been reportedly murdered in the Middle Belt alone in the first four months of 2018.
This Day newspaper for Monday, April 30, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com
The newspaper stated that the death tally includes 19 persons reportedly killed in Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna state and in Gwer west local government area in Benue state at the weekend and another 50 persons reportedly murdered in Offa, Kwara state, after armed robbers attacked and robbed five banks early this month, as well as those killed in pockets of ethno-religious clashes in the region.
In other news, Vanguard reports that the residence of the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, located at Ukehe town in Nsukka, Enugu state, was on Sunday, April 29, attacked with explosives by suspected hoodlums.
Vanguard newspaper for Monday, April 30, photo credit: snapshot from NAIJ.com
The newspaper citing a statement from the spokesman of the Enugu state police command, Ebere Amaraizu, reports that the explosives were thrown inside the residence through the gate.
“Yes, there was explosion of a minor category. What we are trying to do here is to find out how it occurred.
“Indications from our preliminary inquiry show it was not planted because the place is fortified. Maybe the person threw in the object from the gate,” Amaraizu said.
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Source: Naija.ng