By Oluwatosin Maliki
A recent report released by the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has revealed that not less than 23 pastors have been killed by bandits while over 200 churches were shut down in the past four years.
Rev Joseph Hayab, The state Chairman CAN, who presented the report to the Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Garba during a meeting between the police and clergymen drawn from different denominations from the 23 councils in the state, lamented that the Church had gone through difficult times due to the activities of bandits in the state.
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“In four years, the church has come under severe attacks by bandits and other criminal elements in Kaduna State where we lost 23 pastors and over 200 churches were shut down,” Hayab said.
“A pastor who was kidnapped on 8th August, 2023, told the CAN leadership that there are over 215 Christians abducted by the bandits in Birnin Gwani forest. They are still there and the pastor told us that the bandits asked him to lead prayers for the 215 Christians while he was in their den”.
In addition, the CAN Chairman pleaded, “We are calling on the CP to look into this issue among many others holistically to build the confidence of the people once again”.
In his response, the CP assured the pastors that the command will do everything possible to protect everyone in the state as criminality had no religion and whoever engaged in any act of criminality should be addressed as a criminal without profiling him or her as a Christian, Muslim or by their tribes or ethnicity.
“Security is the responsibility of all and not only that of the government. While the government takes the lead in the protection of lives and property, individuals are also expected to play their parts particularly in the area of providing information,” he promised.
