The Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans
has called on the Nigerian government to end the
growing slaughter of Christians at the hands of
radical Islamists in the country, arguing that such a
massacre should not be the Christians’ “portion in
Jesus’ name.”
“Whatever the federal government is doing, if any,
is either too slow or insignificant compared with the
reoccurrence of the killings; the federal
government needs to step up and take bold actions
to give members of the Christian community in the
country a sense of security and belonging,” said Pastor Ade Oyesile, executive director of CANAN, in
a statement.
“We MUST all work hard to avoid these sectarian
killings which in our very eyes have made countries
embroiled in it to become failed nations. That
should not be our portion in Jesus Christ name.”
Like a number of other persecution watchdog
groups, CANAN has raised its voice against the
spate of killings of Christians by radical Muslims
throughout 2016. The group says that according to
its records, at least 384 Christians have been killed
so far this year, and produced a list of the various attacks carried out by radical groups such as Boko
Haram and the Fulani herdsmen.
Oyesile warned that the number of Christians killed
in 2016 is already close to equaling the total killed
in 2015, and barely half the year has gone by.
“This dastardly killings of Christians in the country
MUST stop. It is most disappointing that these
unprovoked killings of Christians have continued
despite the federal government condemnation
statements,” he said.
The pastor noted that Christians do not have many
options to defend themselves, given that they
preach peace instead of retaliation, and so rely on
government forces to do more to protect them and
to bring attackers to justice.
Oyesile told The Christian Post in an interview earlier this year that only repentance and the fear of God
can win the war against radical Islam.
“Boko Haram, ISIS, Al-Shabab is evil. Until we all
stand together to condemn it, it will continue to
spread. We Christians can help the government,
with our fervent prayers without ceasing,” he told
CP at the time.
“The right strategy to drive this evil people out of
Nigeria, God will give to people in government.
World leaders may come together and all that, but
repentance and fear of God is the sure way
forward.”
Western voices, such as former Congressman Frank
Wolf, a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the 21st
Century Wilberforce Initiative, have also been
speaking out against the ongoing slaughter, and
urged the United States government also to step up
and help.
Wolf, who visited and spoke with local Nigerian
leaders in February, told CP in a separate interview that Christians in Nigeria are feeling abandoned at
the lack of attention afforded to their plight in the
West, including from churches.
“People of faith, Christians, feel very much
forgotten. Nigeria is fractured and is breaking
down in so many ways, and it seems that the world
has forgotten about it,” Wolf said earlier in July.
“They feel abandoned by the West, and by the
Church in the West. You are not hearing many in the
West advocating (for them). They would expect
that the faith community in the West, Europe, would
be advocating, speaking out,” he added.
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