In a strongly-worded statement on Friday, CAN accused the Nigerian government of trying to “turn Christians into refugees in their country”.
The tense religious situation in the country has been heightened after the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) vowed to defend the founder of Omega Fire Ministries, Johnson Suleman, following attempts to nab him by operatives of the State Security Service.
In a blistering response on Friday to what it termed “attack on Christians in the country”, CAN also berated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for his “studied silence”, PT writes.
“Apostle Suleman has become a refugee in Ekiti state as security operatives are said to be searching every nook and cranny of the state with a view to arresting him,” the statement read.
“If there is an urgent need to interrogate Apostle Suleman on any issue, it would only have been proper to extend a formal or informal invitation to him from the SSS rather than Gestapo approach used in the attempt to arrest him. It should be noted that under Nigerian Laws, he is presumed innocent until a court of law proves otherwise. Or have they extended the proposed obnoxious law that forbids religious preaching without the permission of the state governor down south too?
“Treating Ministers of God and our members as common criminals is unacceptable to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Enough is enough.”
“The Police have been releasing those who were arrested for the killing of our members in Kano and Kubwa (Abuja) while our leaders are being subjected to untold hardship for no just cause.
“We call on the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to intervene in all the clampdown on the Church in Nigeria after all, he is in the office primarily to represent the interest of the Christians and his studied silence is no longer golden,” it said.
