The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Northern States Chapter has expressed their heartache over the abduction of 105 school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State.
The Spokesman of the 19th Northern States CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab told Journalists in Kaduna that the Christian body was deeply concerned about the “return of kidnappings of large girls again in Nigeria.”
“CAN is deeply concerned with this development when we have not yet gotten back all the Chibok girls, and now another 105 school girls have been kidnapped.
“And sadly, though the Yobe State government have apologised for its first denial, but that denial made Nigerians more confused because it shows we cannot be truthful when fellow Nigerians are affected,” said CAN.
The christian umbrella body added that the government and the security agencies “must sit-up. The girls must not stay long like the previous ones before they are released.”
According to them, “the girls must be brought back alive. The young girls are Nigerians, they need the protection of the Nigerian government. These girls can be anybody daughters.”
“CAN is saying, the Nigeria security agencies must not play the propaganda game any more. They should go after the criminals that have abducted these girls. The security should take serious action and stop making noise and confusing people.
“This particular abduction is a challenge to government to prove to Nigerians that the huge spending on security is not been drained, because when we hear and read stories that billion of dollars is expended for security and we still have issues like this, then it tells us that there is a serious problem in the country.
“As a Christian body, we have every moral responsibility to shout on behalf of the girls and their parents.
“We are appealing to the kidnappers to release the innocent girls who have not wronged them in any way,” they said.
While sympathising with the families of the kidnapped girls, the Dapchi community and government of Yobe State, CAN said “we are praying for the government to do what is right this time to get the girls rescued from the hands of the criminals.”