The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has disclosed that many Christians and non-natives in Yobe State, especially those in Damaturu, the state capital, are fleeing to their native states for safety.

The state’s CAN Chairman, Rev. Garba Idi told journalists that officials and various community leaders in the meeting were uncomfortable with the security arrangements as no soldier or police was sighted around the Jerusalem area where most non-natives in the state capital reside.
Rev. Idi, however, called on Christians for calm as CAN was putting heads together with other concerned bodies to address the situation.

Rev. Idi said the state government had not taken any concrete steps for now as individuals were bearing the responsibility of evacuating corpses of their loved ones to their home towns for burial.

He expressed shock at the unfortunate event and wondered what could have angered those who decided to carry out the attacks in the state which had been considered as safe haven in the country.

He appealed to all and sundry to see themselves as one and find other ways of resolving grievances instead of taking actions leading to the death of innocent souls. He urged the Boko Haram sect to reconsider their actions for the sake of innocent Nigerians.

The National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) , Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor also said that CAN would not wait until all its members in the North are killed before confronting the menace.

According to him, in New Jerusalem area of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, no fewer than six churches were torched by suspected Boko Haram members in a bombing that also affected a police station.

He said that four people were killed by co-ordinated Fedayeen attacks; one at a college in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while Mujahideen gunmen attacked a church in Kaduna, shooting two female worshippers to death.

“The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), is calling on the Federal Government to demonstrate the political will to deal decisively with the increasing wave of terrorism in the country. Reports reaching me from different parts of the North have shown that several innocent lives have again been sent to their early graves and property worth millions of naira has either been torched or vandalised in another orgy of religious violence,” Oritsejafor said.

“We just cannot continue to put our wrong foot forward all the time and expect investors to come and invest their money in an unsafe environment,” Oritsejefor said, urging the government to take action.

To the governments and people of the three states, Oritsejafor offered condolences while appealing for restraint, saying that CAN will, in due course, come up with a position after an emergency meeting soon.

He also commiserated with the leadership of the Nigeria Police and other security agencies that lost personnel and property in the latest spate of violence, reiterating his call for proactive measures by the security outfits to tackle the menace of terrorism in the country.

Meanwhile, the national president of Tarraya Ekklisiyoyi Kristi A Nigeria (TEKAN), Reverend Emmanuel Dziggau on Monday read what appeared to be the Riot Act to those killing and maiming Christians in the North and destroying their properties, saying “enough is enough.”

Reverend Dziggau also said in a press statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna that they would no longer accept the sweet talks of both the federal and the concerned state governments without any measurable political will to kill the virus that is capable of tearing the country apart.

The TEKAN, meaning Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria in Hausa, president also said that in view of the threat posed to the corporate existence of the country by the recent activities of the Boko Haram group, Nigerians should come together and review the possibility of remaining together as one country.

While calling on its members to remain calm and prayerful, the clergyman said that TEKAN would no longer tolerate any further killing of its members and the destruction of churches and their properties by those he termed agents of murder and destruction.

The statement reads: “The Tarraya Ekklisiyoyi Kristi A Nigeria; (Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria- TEKAN) has observed with deep concern the devilish activities of the dreaded Islamic sect called “Boko Haram” whose activities are gearing towards total elimination of Christians and Christianity in the northern part of this country, being the reason for incessant attack and killings of innocent law-abiding Christians in the North, particularly Christians of TEKAN family.

“Therefore, the TEKAN wishes to condemn the continuous killings of our members and other Christians in the North, especially North-East region. TEKAN may no longer accept the smooth talk show by both the respective states and federal government without any measurable political will to treat this evil virus that’s capable of tearing this country apart.

“TEKAN is calling on well-meaning Nigerians ahead of 2014 when Nigeria will be 100 years of her amalgamation to decide the possibility of our remaining together in the face of the Boko Haram activities that are no longer acceptable to many peace-loving Nigerians.

“TEKAN may no longer tolerate any further killings of her members and destruction of churches, properties by any agent of murder and destruction. TEKAN is calling on her members to remain calm and prayerful.

“We will follow events and whatever needs to be done will be done in coordination with the heavenly host under the captainship of our lord Jesus Christ. Christians may appear docile but when the time comes, even docile people may stand up like a mighty rock. Enough is enough.”

Meanwhile, the Yobe State branch of CAN has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Ibrahim Geidam to work towards restoring normalcy to the state and ensure the protection of life and property of citizens, particularly of those who came to earn a living in the state.

The group said thousands of non-indigenes were relocating from the state to where they could be accommodated and accepted as Nigerians.

The state chairman of CAN, Reverend Garba Idi, said this in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.

According to him, since the crisis began, particularly in Jerusalem ward which is dominated by Christians and non-indigenes, many of them had chosen to leave the state.

The CAN chairman said 10 churches, 11 vehicles, seven motorcycles and one bicycle were burnt during the attack.

“So many Christians were killed and as I am talking to you now, some people are still calling us to say that they discovered the bodies of some of their missing relatives who were killed in the bush. We are not too comfortable with the security arrangements here,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Tony Ogah, a businessman in Damaturu, said he had been nursing the idea to leave the state because of so many issues which have to do with his faith as a Christian, adding that the crises in Yobe left him with no option but to leave and settle somewhere else.

While narrating her ordeal, Mrs Patriash Okoli said when the people came, “they shouted Arne, Yanmiri, shege and they started shooting and burning, and before the police could come, they had killed so many people. I don’t know how I survived, but my friends were killed before my eyes. I was running into the bush on Bukar Abba University road and somehow I escaped.”

manchy7531:

let them come down south we shall accept them.we Christians are our bothers keeper.but, they must obey the laws of the land

Wily!Wily:

Come down which south? I am not a brothers keeper to any northern Christain. If Boko haram want to wipe out all Northern Christains i wish them the best of Luck, nonsense

Come down which south? I am not a brothers keeper to any northern Christain. If Boko haram want to wipe out all Northern Christains i wish them the best of Luck, nonsense

Yeske!:

That was too hard.

Wily!Wily:

How?
To be sincere, if Boko Haram can concentrate at killing only Northern Christains, i will warmly congratulate them for a job well done.

Wily!Wily:

Come down which south? I am not a brothers keeper to any northern Christain. If Boko haram want to wipe out all Northern Christains i wish them the best of Luck, nonsense

Wily!Wily:

How?
To be sincere, if Boko Haram can concentrate at killing only Northern Christains, i will warmly congratulate them for a job well done.

dayokanu:

Is Yobe in the Northwest?

emmke:

what has the christian northerner done to u? U have too much hate in u and it aint good for u. Lol at this rate, u'd end up death and the christian northerners will live and survive as we always do. 

idupaul:

@ willywilly::: I never knew U were a total fool!!!!

Wily!Wily:

@idupaul::::I knew u are a Kackroach

ayusman16:

They will wipe out your useless poverty-stricken family first.

Wily!Wily:

Yes you will live and survive. But my happiness is, Boko Haram is doing a great good work, if the can focus on eliminating only Northern Christains i will congratulate them for a job well done

Wily!Wily:

Come down which south? I am not a brothers keeper to any northern Christain. If Boko haram want to wipe out all Northern Christains i wish them the best of Luck, nonsense

careytommy:

what's your beaf with northern christians?

emmke:

@wilywily really u aren't much of a smart person. The other day, an igbo girl showed me the picture of another igbo gal (very very beautiful gal), her friend, she was killed in the recent boko haram bombing. I felt like crying, seriously cos the gal was just so pretty. U see wilywily, its not only northern christians that are dying. Northern and southern christians, northern and southern muslims, atheists, everyone. However, no matter what, we aren't interested in coming to your land, so chillax. 

emmke:

@wilywily  However, no matter what, we aren't interested in coming to your land, so chillax. 

emmke:

^man this is free fun, lol. Do u know how beautiful my land is? Why will i throw that away? Even your brothers are still living there. Those that can afford to live any where in naija. The mikel family are still there just so u know. Man, my land is more than worth dying for. Plateau the beautiful

emmke:

ok asha. Thanks. The guy just hate us. And we are living in peace with southerners (igbos, yorubas, niger deltans) here. So suprising.