The kidnapping of more than 40 worshipers at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in a town in Kaduna State has been sharply criticized by the Christian Association of Nigeria, which claims that terrorist assaults have persisted despite recent victory songs by security agencies.
“The victory songs should be lowered down until the fight and the battle are completely won. We don’t need to sing songs of victory because these criminals are on the move and are still having their way,” The Vice President of CAN in the North, Rev. Joseph Hayab, has said.
On Tuesday, Hayab—who is also the chairman of Kaduna’s top Christian organization—said that security personnel should pursue these criminals until the worshippers are freed and brought back to their homes.
“We also appeal to people in the church, it is not enough for us to think that all is well now and go into our churches without taking measures,” he added.
According to him, “the kidnap of worshippers who went to participate in a vigil programme in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, in Kurmin Juwa of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, just behind the market at Kasuwan Magani, came to us as, I won’t say shock but disappointing. At a time when we are made to think that progress is being made, we are back to this sad story.”
“On that fateful Wednesday night, these bandits took away 57 people. Some escaped on the road and as I speak to you now, 43 are still with the bandits and they are demanding a huge sum of N200 million.”
“That is to tell you that we are also to be careful. Let us not jump and be making statements on victory too early. Let us continue doing the best we can do in carrying out this war until victory is assured, because the enemies of the people and the enemies of the state are still strategising to cause pains.”
