By Lola Seriki-Idahosa, Kaduna
Tracereporters –Christian leaders in Kaduna State have have averred that bandits are taking advantage of the perceived weakness of government to contain their acts.
The leaders who frowned at act of negotiating with bandits called on government not to allow criminal elements see any weakness in the authorities to perpetuate crime.
The immediate past chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Kaduna state Chapter, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, lamented over the increased wave of abductions in Kaduna state by bandits and prayed modalities would be put in place to bring an end to it.
Rev. Hayab and others spoke at the at the thanksgiving service held at the Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Gonin Gora Kaduna in his honour, for meritorious service as State CAN Secretary and Chairman, Kaduna state.
Hayab who alleged that bandits and other criminal elements were taking advantage of government’s weakness to torment innocent Nigerians, condemned the abduction of school children in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area where he worked as a Pastor 30 years ago.
“I am very sad because I pastored a local church in the community thirty years ago, the rural dwellers were just peasant farmers with majority of their husbands heavy truck drivers who are invariably affected by bad governance too,” he said.
“What are they even negotiating. That we steal their cows or we did what to them? See, if they have grudges they have not written anybody and why are they hurting innocent children? The parents of those children that they kidnapped are also angry, hungry and sick. So why are you venting your anger on innocent people. And so what are you negotiating with those people. These people are just criminals who want to steal money by all means and who are by default hiding under cover, so what do you negotiate with them?”
“Sheikh Gumi told us that he is going to preach to them. If there is need for us to mobilize people that will go and preach to them we will do that, but not to negotiate with them. Did we steal anything from them, we do not even know why they are angry. They are taking advantage of the weakness of our government and they are tormenting us and I hold the government responsible for what is happening to Nigerians,” he said.
A former General Secretary, Evangelical Church Winning All, (ECWA) Worldwide Rev. Nmadu Yunusa said that the issue of hardship and insecurity in Nigeria were twin brothers and they are those issues in the country that were biting hard at the moment.
According to him, whether the government should negotiate with bandits or not, it is a different thing altogether, adding that government has the instrumentality to curb the hardship that Nigerians are going through.
“Hunger breeds insecurity and the breakdown of law and order in every society…Infact now that this insecurity has lasted this long, the government should ask herself because they are duty bearers and it’s their responsibility to protect the citizens of this country.”
“So in my own opinion any government that has failed to protect its citizens have failed as government, and for the fact that people are very hungry today is not a good testament to good governance. So what is good governance all about when people are just falling on the street like apple because of hunger, and hunger will breed more insecurity.”
“So I want to charge this government to put their heads together to curb the issue of hunger and insecurity in the country and perhaps we can have some relief in terms of insecurity.”
Senator representing Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung who graced the occasion, described Hayab as a man of integrity whose tribute couod not be narrated in a short time.
“He is a man of integrity, a man who is fearless in fighting for his people when he believes in a course. He does not shy away from putting it the way it is. He has patience, integrity, humility and also foresight on issues that concern the people of Southern Kaduna in particular, the people of Kaduna state and Nigeria in general,” he said.
Dignitaries at the occasion who spoke well on Rev Joseph Hayab were the former and current president of the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kaduna Rev. Prof Reuben Ishaya and Rev. Prof. Moses Audi, Chairman, Kaduna Baptist Conference, Rev. Dr. Leke Ogundayo, Conference President, FCT Rev. Dr. Raphael Gwana, Convention President, Rev. Dr. Ishaya Akanji, Former Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) Apostle Emma Ego Bako, Apostle Emmanuel Kure of Throne room Ministry Kafanchan, former Commissioners, etc.
