...says Christians will reject report
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday said it will not accept any recommendation made to the Federal Government by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in North.
CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor stated this at a meeting with the 28-member reconciliation committee in Abuja.
Also at the meeting were the newly elected Vice-President of the association and Head of the Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Olasupo Ayokunle, Primate of the Anglican Communion, Very Rev. Nicholas Okoh, General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Musa Asake, executive members of Christian Lawyers Fellowship and other national and state officers.
Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki had solicited for the support of CAN as a critical stakeholder in the peace process.
He said: "We are not only soliciting for your understanding; we are also soliciting for your support and that of the Christian community in Nigeria; we are not only soliciting for your advice and suggestions on how to go about the work of this committee, we most fundamentally sir, seek for your cooperation and that of the Christian community in Nigeria."
Turaki explained that the meeting was called to interface with the umbrella Christian body, with a view to aggregating opinions and information that would form the fulcrum of the committee's recommendations to the Federal Government.
Responding, Pastor Oritsejafor insisted that the whole Christians community did not have confidence on the composition of the amnesty team and as such would not accept any recommendation from it.
Apart from that, he also noted that as far as the CAN is concerned, having declared Boko Haram a terrorist group and its proscription by the government, the committee had outlived its existence.
He also faulted the timing of the meeting, maintaining that if CAN was so critical to the peace process as the committee chairman had said, it would not be holding discussion with it at a time its tenure was winding off.
"We note that the tenure given to your committee is 90 days, which will lapse in a few days time. This being the case, it is our considered opinion that your invitation to us is an afterthought.
National Mirror
Boko Haram has to just leave our country alone. They changed our 'peace' to war and it's getting more complicated daily. This is not good.