• Buhari
commiserates with Ortom
• Mark
condemns renewed attacks
The Chairman
of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, Rev. Yakubu Pam,
has called on the Federal Government to investigate the killings of
District
Head of Numana Kingdom, Dr. Gambo Makama, his wife and two others and the
murder of about 50 persons in Kaduna and Benue states on New Year day.
Pam, in a
press statement issued in Jos yesterday, condemned the killings of Christians
in the north and urged the Federal Government to fish out the perpetrators of
the brutal acts.
According to
him: “The attacks on Gwantu, Headquarters of Sanga Local Government Area of
Kaduna State where the chairman of the traditional council, Dr. Gambo Makama
alongside his wife and two other youths were gruesomely murdered on New Year
day is condemnable and worrisome.
“Also, we
are worried of the attacks in Guma and Logo Local Government areas of Benue
State where over 50 people were murdered in cold blood on the same New Year
day.
“CAN is not
only condemning in stronger terms these mayhem and carnage but is calling for
the immediate arrests and prosecution of all perpetrators of these heinous
crimes without let.
“We are
worried that the reluctance of the government in the poor handling of security
is causing more harm than good. We are aware that if proactive measures are
taken by the government where culprits are caught and disciplined, crimes in
the society wouldhave been stamped out.”
Pam called
for calm in both communities where the attacks were carried out, urging
government to step up security in the entire country to forestall future
killings.
He urged the
Federal Government to investigate thoroughly and take stringent measures on
allegations of security complacency to calm already frayed nerves.
“As we are
assuring government of the church support, the church demands state protection
for our members nation-wide to stop the unchecked killings mixed in different
reactions. ” Pam added.
Meanwhile,
President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue
State over the killings, injury of several persons and wanton destruction of
property by suspected herdsmen.
While
expressing sadness at the “wicked and callous” attacks on even innocent
children, the president in a statement yesterday assured the governor and
people of the state that relevant security agencies have been directed to do
everything possible to arrest those behind the regrettable incidents and avert
further attacks.
“This is one
attack too many, and everything must be done to provide security for the people
in our rural communities,” he said.
Also former
President of the Senate, David Mark has taken stock of the renewed violent
attacks in Benue, Rivers and Kaduna States and called for urgent and strategic
approach to halt further tragedies.
Tasking the
Federal Government to devise more pragmatic ways of promoting security of lives
and property, Mark said: “this pogrom is reprehensible, barbaric and inhuman.”
And in
Makurdi yesterday, angry youths threw missiles on governor Ortom at Wurukum
roundabout where they mounted a road block protesting killings of their loved
ones by herdsmen.
The protest
led to a heavy gridlock, causing traffic obstruction for motorists travelling
through the axis to the north and southern regions of the country for almost
six hours.
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