CAN Declares 3-Day National Fasting over Insecurity

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared Friday, 31st January to 2nd February 2020 as days for special fasting and prayer for Nigeria in all churches, home and abroad.

According to a statement by the chairman of CAN, His Eminence Dr. Samson Ayokunle, the fasting is for the gruesome killing of innocent Nigerians to stop.

Ayokunle further stated that “this fasting is for the Nigerian government to develop the capacity to overcome the criminals troubling the nation.”

The Christian body also declared a special prayer walk which would take place on the 2nd of February 2020.

“Sunday 2nd February 2020 is declared a Special Prayer Walk by Christians in all the States of the Federation in the form of a procession to be led by States CAN Chairmen in their CAN Secretariats and pastors of churches in all churches in Nigeria,” Dr. Ayokunle declared.

He urged churches to process round their area, pray for God’s permanent intervention and help from all over the world so that all Christians might not be consumed one by one.

As far as Dr. Ayokunle is concerned, it appears that the government is completely overwhelmed with the brutality of Nigerians which he says is happening unabated daily.

The CAN Chairman asked all Bloc Leaders, Zonal and States Chairmen, Leaders of Denominations and all Christians and concerned Nigerians to support and come out en-mass for the programmes.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has faulted the demand by the Christian Association of Nigeria that the federal government should reconstitute the leadership of the security forces in the country to brace up its fight against terrorism and insurgency.

CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, had said on Thursday, while reacting to the killing of Andimi, by Boko Haram, “demanded an overhaul of the security council with a view to bringing in new heads of all the security agencies and the para-military organisations which no religion or part of the country will dominate.”

But Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in a statement yesterday said that a different leadership of the nation’s security forces would not guarantee that insurgency would vanish from the country, adding that no religion or part of the country dominates the leadership of the security forces.

Adesina said: “Are you saying under a different leadership of our security forces, insurgency will vanish after they wave their fingers? Why mix the wheat and chaff together? In the leadership of the security forces as we have it now, is the position of Chief of Defence Staff not held by General Abayomi Olonisakin, who is also a pastor? Is he not a member of CAN? Is the Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe-Ibas, not a Christian, and under the banner of CAN?”

“Listening to the organization, you would think not even half a Christian is in the leadership of the security forces. If the leadership of the security forces would be changed, it is a sitting President that has the prerogative. It will not happen when CAN begins to make such demand.

“The insecurity in the country is not about any religion. It is pure evil, from the pit of hell”.

“So, let the Church be fully involved in supplication for divine intervention in the country, rather than playing subtle politics and unwittingly generating hate in the land.”