A Christian group, Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) has responded to the statement credited to the chief strategist of the Congress for Progressive Change, controversial former minister, Nasir Elrufai, who yesterday threatened the government with reprisals should they go ahead with their attempts to go after suspected Fulani herdsmen and mercenaries who had unleashed a reign of terror in Plateau state in the last few weeks, killing hundreds of innocent people including a serving senator and a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
Elrufai had posted an inciting post on his twitter and facebook profile which you can read HERE
In response, Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) issued the statement below;
The Masquerade Has Been Unmasked
“Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) notes with dismay the reaction of the Northern Muslim establishment to the recent order by the Plateau State Special Military Task Force to certain Communities to temporarily evacuate their villages in order to minimize civilian casualties as the Military perform internal security operations to find and arrest mercenaries who were behind the deaths of hundreds of innocent Nigeria citizens including a serving Senator and a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
We are astounded that these characters who were curiously silent when the mercenaries were killing innocent men, women and children have suddenly found their voice when it comes time to detect and apprehend those behind these killings.
What are we missing here? Are these characters in support of these mercenaries or in support of the Nigerian state? Where was the voice of Nasir Elrufai ,Dr Tilde ,Dr Babangida Aliyu and those now vocal against the planned action to go after the killers when the mercenaries carried out a series of genocidal attacks?
These same people who are threatening bloodshed in 2015 if they do not win elections are now threatening the Nigerian state if the military should go ahead and conduct their internal security operations. Is it not time to ask if they have been the ones sponsoring these attacks? Shall we continue to breathe the putrid air and pretend that we do not know who amongst us has fouled the air?
Only a couple of days ago, these same folks were in the media raining insults on the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, when he testified before the U.S. Congress and asked that they designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. How can any sane person attack such a move? Do they know more than they are saying?
When the Shehu of Borno and the Deputy Governor of Borno state were almost killed by Boko Haram, Pastor Oritsejafor led the Christian community to condemn the attack. But when three churches were attacked in one weekend in Kaduna where Dr Babangida Aliyu Chairman NGF,Dr Tilde ,Elrufai and many of their supporters live they were silent and only spoke to condemn the reprisal killings.
The world is watching and we say very clearly that we support the patriotic decision of the military authorities to issue a temporary evacuation order to the Fulani communities in Plateau state so that they can avoid civilian casualties as they hunt for the murderers and terrorists who killed hundreds of innocent victims. This tactic has been used in Europe and America and is a civilized practice covered by the Geneva Convention and meant to stem civilian casualties.
We therefore call on all and sundry in Plateau to ignore the call by these selfish religious and regional champions and like minded individuals who have asked them to ignore the military order and stay put. To Dr Babangida Aliyu and Elrufai who has threatened that the Fulanis would retaliate if any of them are killed we at Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria say that the masquerade has eventually been unmasked and we hope that the authorities are watching. We also call on the International Criminal Court to take cognizance of this statement by these regional champions and their co travelers with a view to bringing them to justice wherever and whenever.”
Pastor Caleb Ma’aji
Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN)
Source(Naija Pundit)
