The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has expressed doubts over the readiness of Boko Haram sect for dialogue in view of Monday’s multiple explosions that killed some 24 persons in Kano State.
According to him, the renewed terrorist attacks in the state as well as the unreported news from Biu in Borno State that 16 persons were handcuffed and burnt to death by the insurgents should make the federal government to reconsider its stand on amnesty for the sect members.
The Monday explosions in Kano have made the Kano State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to decide to emulate youths in Borno State by forming vigilante group, to be known as ‘Civilian JTF’ to beef up security in Kano State.
Oritsejafor, While commiserating with the victims of the bomb attacks and the families of those who lost their lives in the Kano and Biu tragedies, said the incidents had confirmed that the primary targets of the Boko Haram sect were Christians and their churches.
According to the CAN president in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Kenny Ashaka, the Boko Haram sect is becoming more untrustworthy and its latest killings have further assaulted the sensibilities of the people.
He said: “With the persistent attacks on innocent Nigerians who are largely non-indigenes and churches in the northern part of the country for four years on by the Islamic militant group, the need for an all-round strategy to rein in the Islamic insurgents has become more persuasive now more than ever before.
“We in CAN commend officers and men of the special forces for taking extra-ordinary steps to protect the lives and property of innocent Nigerians.
“As it is, we would not be wrong to think that those who buy the extreme ideologies of the Boko Haram sect have infiltrated the ranks of all the security arms of the nation as intelligence sharing and management seem thwarted by agents of the sect within the system.
“If personalities who do not have the mandate of the people speak as though representing them, those mushrooming as champions of the North would also add to inspire the terrorists into action against those who are from other regions and religions.
“In the meantime, we plead with Islamic scholars to begin to restructure the unsymmetrical unity among them which has manifested in the evolution of five denominational ideologies, namely Suni, Shia, Tijania, Izala and Ahmadiya.
“The real Islam that CAN knows should make true leaders of the faith to rectify the contradictions of arbitrary knowledge of the Qur’an to remind those pushed out of the line to seek the good of all.”
Meanwhile the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano is considering setting up a vigilante group to complement the concerted efforts by security agents to effectively police Sabon Gari, predominantly occupied by non-natives, who were victims of the recent terrorist attack.
Speaking to journalists in Kano yesterday, the President of the Kano chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Tobias Idika, explained that the option has become necessary in the light of increased activities of terrorists in the densely populated quarters.
“The option of taking up our collective security through the Civilian JTF is long overdue in its effort to set an example on how best members of the non-indigenous community can best come together to combat terrorism,” he said.
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