The
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has lashed
out to the
acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to defend
Christians as he is in office to do so.
In
a statement issued by the special
assistant on media to the CAN president, Bayo Oladeji, the religious body said
the issues of the DSS trying to arrest Apostle John Suleman was a slap on the
faces on Christians and wondered why Osinbajo who is also a Christian and a pastor should keep quite in the face of evil
The statement Reads
“According to what we heard, they insisted on
remaining in the hotel until Apostle Johnson Suleman surrendered himself for
arrest. But for the timely intervention of the management of the hotel and
other well meaning Nigerians around, the invasion could have resulted into
bloodshed as the Minister of God was there with some MOPOL men and officers.
“Apostle Suleman has become a refugee in Ekiti state
as security operatives are said to be searching every nook and cranny of the
state with a view to arresting him.
“If there is an urgent need to interrogate Apostle
Suleman on any issue, it would only have been proper to extend a formal or
informal invitation to him from the DSS rather than Gestapo approach used in
the attempt to arrest him.
“It should be noted that under Nigerian Laws, he is
presumed innocent until a court of law proves otherwise. Or have they extended
the proposed obnoxious law that forbids religious preaching without the
permission of the state governor down south too?
“Treating Ministers of God and our members as common
criminals is unacceptable to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Enough is enough.
“Despite all the promises made by Governor Nasir
el-Rufai, none of those who were responsible for the killings of our members in
the Southern Kaduna has been brought to book.
“Instead the Police have been releasing those who were
arrested for the killing of our members in Kano and Kubwa (Abuja) while our
leaders are being subjected to untold hardship for just no cause.
“It is high time the overzealous security agencies
knew that Nigeria remains a secular state and any attempt to turn the country
into a refugee camp for Christians will not be acceptable and will be resisted
with every lawful means.
“We call on the acting President, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo, to intervene in all the clampdown on the Church in Nigeria after all,
he is in the office primarily to represent the interest of the Christians and
his studied silence is no longer golden.
“The last time we checked, Sections 38 of the 1999
Constitution (as amended) it states clearly that every Nigerian is “entitled to
freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his
religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and
in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in
worship, teaching, practice and observance.”
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