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The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria calls for a worldwide weekend of prayer for Nigeria
By Chris Sugden
wwww.virtueonline.org
January 27, 2020
Dr Samson Ayokunle spoke to the press at the National Christian Centre, Abuja on January 23rd following the murder of the Rev Samson Akunle. The following are excerpts from his speech.
Dr Ayokunle reported that the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi, was murdered by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, because he refused to be converted to Islam. Although the ransom demand of 2 million Euros was ready they notified the CAN in Adamawa State that since the gentleman had refused to be converted to Islam, they had decided to behead him.
In the same state, on January 19th Rev Denis Bagauri was murdered by unknown gunmen in his residence, because he was a Christian. Eleven Christians were beheaded by Islamic State on Christmas Day of 2019 in Maiduguri including a bride to be.
A few days ago, four seminarians of the Good Shepherd Catholic Seminary in Kakau, were kidnapped along Kaduna-Abuja Road. In Kaduna State, thirty five people were killed and fifty eight abducted when bandits raided 10 communities in the Chikun and Birnin Gwari Local Government areas on January 13, 2020.
These criminals have been stopping commercial and private vehicles asking them to come down and telling them to say what their religion is. Whoever claims to be a Christian is either killed on the spot or abducted and a demand for a ransom issued.
Christians have become endangered species in their own country!
Nigeria is under a siege orchestrated by the murderous blood-thirsty and criminally- minded Boko Haram terrorists,
The attacks being witnessed under the current administration are unprecedented. Today, the killers are unleashing terror on selected Christian communities. In many instances, the victims are locked up, while the criminals are left untouched. From 1980-2019, the Stephanos Foundation' record shows a total of 1,785 attacks in 32 states of the country. This led for the death of not less than 28,878 innocent people. Up till today, no one has been brought to book. Instead, it was those who cried out that were subjected to state harassment.
These terrorists have not hidden their goal to Islamize Nigeria. Their primary targets are Christians. It will be difficult for us to believe that the Federal Government under the present administration is not colluding with the insurgents to exterminate Christians in Nigeria. Why couldn't the well-equipped security agents of Nigeria get Rev Andimi out of the captivity of his killers who held him captive for two weeks?
The CAN Leadership has declared Friday, 31st January to 2nd February, 2020 as days for Special Fasting and Prayer for Nigeria in all churches, home and abroad, for the gruesome killing of innocent Nigerians to stop and for our government to develop capacity to overcome the criminals troubling the nation.
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. Churches should process round their area, pray for God's permanent intervention and help from all over the world so that all of us might not be consumed one by one.
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