The Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 northern states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have called on Christians to defend themselves whenever they came under attack.
The body was reacting to the killing of eight persons said to be Christians in Talata-Mafara, Zamfara State by a mob over alleged blasphemy of the Prophet and a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Luka Ubangari, by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Unguwan Anjo in Kaduna State.
Although Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari said no Christian was killed in the mob attack in his state on Monday, the northern CAN insisted that Christians were killed.
Secretary to Northern CAN, Rev. Danladi Yerima, who confirmed this yesterday, said that his group had scheduled an emergency meeting for tomorrow to look at the state of the nation, especially as it affects the Church in Nigeria, with a view to finding solutions to them.
SEE ALSO: JNI Condemns Zamfara Blasphemy Killings
Appealing to the youth wing of the association, who are unhappy with the current developments across the nation, to remain calm and law abiding, Rev. Yerima told the Federal Government and stakeholders in the Nigerian project to expedite action to arrest the growing trend of militancy in the North to avoid more devastating consequences.
“Nobody has monopoly of violence. We have been holding our youths from retaliating some of these unwarranted killing of Christians in different parts of the country. We are not happy and I think this should be the last of such incidents because let them not take for granted the peaceful manner that Christians had approached some of these developments”, the northern CAN scribe said.
“I cannot allow myself to be killed or allow some other person to be killed because some hooligans see themselves to be more Nigerians than others.
“What happened in Zamfara is most unfortunate. I do not know when our brothers in the North would realize that life is created by God and it is sacrosanct to the effect that nobody is allowed to take the life of another person unless in accordance with a judicial pronouncement on account of an offence committed”, Mr. Yerima added.
