The northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, said on Saturday, August 27, 2016, that none of its members was among the eight persons burnt to death over an alleged blasphemy at the Talata Mafara area of Zamfara State.
Reverend John Hayab, spokesperson of Northern CAN, who spoke with the Punch in Kaduna on the outcome of its emergency meeting held in Jos, Plateau State, said, “Our people on ground confirmed to us that none of our people was killed. We don’t need to mention those that were killed.”
However, the CAN spokesperson said the association frowned at any killing of any Nigerian under the cover of religion or any other guise in any part of the country.
Hayab, who did not give further details on those killed, said it became necessary that the CAN come out to let the world know the truth and halt the rumour game over the Zamfara killings.
“We met on Friday over the killings going on in northern Nigeria. We clearly understood that those killed in Zamfara State were not Christians. Thus, the erroneous story going on in the social media and many others claiming that those roasted were Christians should be corrected,” he said.
“But as an organisation, we frowned at the killing of human beings in whatsoever guise. Human beings are human beings. If they are criminals, there are police. We should report them to the police to arrest them and not burn them in the house. Our concern is that our nation is becoming barbaric.”
Hayab noted that the killing of innocent souls continued unabated in the region as well as other parts of the country because the government had failed to live up to its responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.
The cleric said the lives of those killed would have been saved if security operatives had acted swiftly.
“When the killing of the eight persons occurred in Zamfara, it took a long time before those who committed the atrocity carried out their nefarious act. If there were proper security on ground, those people would not have been burnt. But why set your fellow citizens on fire? Whatsoever reasons adduced is not justifiable,” he said.
