Christian group condemns Owo church attack, blames FG for insecurity

Adeze Ojukwu

Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship(NCGF) has condemned the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, and called on President Muhammad Buhari to end the carnage.

The group stated this on Monday, in Benin, Edo State capital, during a press conference, on the state of the nation.

President of NCGF, Prof Chuka Eboka, in his presentation, said the “fellowship like many other Nigerians, were again shocked and traumatised, yesterday, by the news of the wanton killings in the Church. Dead bodies of men and women, boys and girls were carried out of St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State like butchered cows from the slaughter House.

The fellowship also criticized the recent killing of Miss Deborah Samuel, who was stoned to death and lynched by her classmates, at the Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOE), Sokoto.

“For how long should we live with this carnage!! This has happened over and over again, with lives of Nigerians being at the mercy of Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and the so-called bandits.”

According to him, this has happened over and over again, with lives of Nigerians being at the mercy of Boko Haram, killer herdsmen and the so-called bandits.

“We are grieved that there no longer exists any safe place in our country today. Nigerians cannot go to church to worship and feel safe; they cannot travel by road and by train in safety. Innocent lives are being wasted every day.”

“We call on President Buhari to urgently arrest this headlong descent into anarchy. We refuse to believe that our Military is unable to effectively rein in those who are terrorizing our people. Enough is enough.”

Harping on the need for stability and security ahead of the 2023 presidential elections, Prof Eboka said “in the last few years, notable Nigerians, distinguished scholars, corporate chieftains, Afenifere, Ohaneze, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Middle Belt Forum, the Northern Elders Forum, Nigerian Christian Elders Forum, several other regional groups, the media, faith-based organizations as well as the International Community, have expressed great concern over the fragility and precariousness of the state of affairs in our nation.”

According to him, the dominant view for many of these groups is the urgency for constitutional review, in order to enable the nation experience a rebirth, through some form of restructuring or a referendum. Other resonant calls are for resource control, fiscal federalism as well as self-determination.”

“A secure and equitable environment should, therefore, be provided urgently for free and fair elections to be conducted. Right now, free and fair elections to produce credible leadership is not likely given the present circumstances in the nation,” he stressed.