THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday, accused the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, of distorting facts in the name of politics.
CAN said in a statement signed by Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Adebayo Oladeji, to the National President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle: “We are disappointed but not surprised with the disparaging lies and abusive statements credited to the Minister of Information in Ilorin during the town hall meeting where he was accusing religious leaders of making alleged provocative statements that can lead to religious war.’’
According to CAN, the Information Minister, in his characteristic manner, left out the issues but went after the so-called religious leaders who are the Christian leaders because he dare not speak against Muslim leaders who had said worse things.
The statement asked Alhaji Mohammed if he was accusing CAN of “telling lies that our members are being killed, maimed and burnt by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East?
“That our members are being killed by the Fulani herdsmen in Plateau, Benue and now Southern Kaduna? That those responsible for these killings profess Islam as their religion? That those who killed Madam Bridget Agbahime in Kano were Muslims who were arrested but later discharged and acquitted by the court as requested by the state Attorney- General and Commissioner of Justice?
“That those who killed Madam Eunice Elisha Olawale while doing the morning preaching in Kubwa, Abuja, were Muslim fundamentalists, who were arrested but also freed by the Police?
“Is Lai Mohammed telling us that no Christian was killed by the Fulani herdsmen who invaded the Southern Kaduna, killed and maimed our members and razed down their communities recently?
“Is Mohammed saying the Fulani herdsmen, who have been killing our members are not armed with sophisticated weapons and is it wrong for us to ask where they get the AK-47 and other weapons they are using?
“When all those killings were going on in Plateau, Benue and Southern Kaduna, was there any time Lai Mohammed or anyone in the Federal Government raised up a voice against the atrocities?
“If those murderous Fulani herdsmen are faceless, how come the Sultan of Sokoto is claiming that they are not Nigerians and in another instance, the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said they had been paid for the ‘wrong done to them’?
“Why is it that whenever these murderers are perpetrating their atrocities, the security agencies look elsewhere until their victims decided to fight back? Is it because the security agencies are Muslim dominated? CAN says no to disparaging remarks in the name of politics. Enough of these lies by Lai Mohammed.”
