Archbishop of Canterbury breaks silence on Boko Haram killing of CAN Chairman, other Christians

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd Justin Portal Welby has reacted to killing of the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lawan Andimi, in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State by Boko Haram sect.

Andimi was abducted by Boko Haram when they attacked Michika on January 3.

Initially, he was declared missing but later appeared in a video released by the terrorist, wherein he pleaded with authorities to secure his release.

Condemned the attack, Archbishop Welby said the killing of Andimi as an attack on Christians.

On his official Twitter page, the Archbishop wrote: “Boko Haram’s murder of Lawan Andimi, a prominent Christian leader in Nigeria, is another attack on Christians, as we saw at Christmas.

“His last statement was of faith and hope. We must thank God for his witness and pray for his family, and for authorities to be effective.”

Temporarily, CAN has rejected the reaction of President Muhammadu Buhari to Boko Haram killing of Lawan Andimi.

At a World Press Conference, CAN President, Rev Samson Ayokunle, said it was now clear that Christians were threatened citizens in Nigeria.

The body said as long as the government continues to live in denial and fails to face the reality, the criminals will not quit their misconducts.

CAN further stated ten demands:

“The President should overhaul the security council with a view of bringing in new heads of all the security agencies and the para-military which no religion or part of the country will dominate.

“The Federal government should either label the Miyetti Allah Fulani Association a terrorist organisation as being regarded in the terror index.

“The Federal Government should order the arrest of the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Groups in who are sponsoring and perpertuating the crime of Nigeria and prosecute them for all the killings in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Taraba States, among others.

“The Federal Government should publish names of all kingpins of the terrorists who are in detention and those who are being prosecuted.

“The Federal Government should stop releasing the so-called repented terrorists since they are reportedly joining their colleagues in the forest to unleash terror on the land.

“The Federal Government should reverse the recent controversial Police promotion with a view to balancing religious and ethnic divides in the country.

“The Federal Government should stop sending delegation to all Islamic international organisations and let our Muslim counterparts be doing so as we are doing in all international Christian religious organisations.

“The Federal Government should stop discriminating against our female Youth corps who refuse to wear the NYSC trousers for religious reasons since they allow their Muslim counterparts to wear hijab.

“The victims of the consistent attacks should be assessed and adequately compensated. The victims in various IDPs be provided with adequate security and enough resources for continual survival.

“It is painful and a betrayal to note that the government gives more attention to so called repentant terrorists than the victims of their evil with the claim that they are being reinstated and rehabilitated, even into the Nigerian Army. This is a major contradiction.”

CAN also urged President Buhari to take speedy action.