CAN should stop playing politics and generating hate in the country- Presidency

The Presidency on Friday faulted the call by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), that the federal government should reconstitute the leadership of the security forces in its fight against terrorism, stating that a different leadership of the nation’s security forces does not guarantee that insurgency would vanish from the country.

CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, had on Thursday, while reacting to the killing of Lawan Andimi, CAN Chairman in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State by Boko Haram insurgents called for overhaul of the security council with a view to bringing in new heads of all the security agencies to tackle the rising problem of insecurity in the country.

But the Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a statement said that a different leadership of the nation’s security forces did not guarantee that insurgency would vanish from the country.

He also dismissed the claim by CAN that a particular religion or part of the country dominates the leadership of the security forces.

“Are you saying under a different leadership of our security forces, insurgency will vanish after they wave their fingers? Why mix the wheat and chaff together? In the leadership of the security forces as we have it now, is the position of Chief of Defence Staff not held by General Abayomi Olonisakin, who is also a pastor? Is he not a member of CAN? Is the Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe-Ibas, not a Christian, and under the banner of CAN?,” the statement read.

“Listening to the organization, you would think not even half a Christian is in the leadership of the security forces.

“If the leadership of the security forces would be changed, it is a sitting President that has the prerogative. It will not happen when CAN begins to make such demand.”

“The insecurity in the country is not about any religion. It is pure evil, from the pit of hell”.

“So, let the Church be fully involved in supplication for divine intervention in the country, rather than playing subtle politics and unwittingly generating hate in the land.”