The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has warned more youths “will be ready and willing to join Boko Haram in the future” if the government fails to tackle the security challenges facing the country.
The group cited recent case of a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member abducted by Boko Haram said to have refused to return home after payment of a ransom for his release.
CAN’s National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel, was reacting to the arrest of a suspected suicide bomber at Living Faith Church in Kaduna.
Kwamkur wondered why the police were more concerned with the name of the suspected bomber than the crime he attempted to commit.
He said, “I am not surprised that Nigerians, especially the loudmouthed Islamic fundamentalists, are interested in knowing and spreading the faith of the suspect than the crime. Whether the man is Mohammed Sani or Nathaniel Samuel, Nigerians know the religion and tribal groups that are terrorising them, particularly the Christians.
“Many Christians have been abducted and converted by Islamic terrorists.
“Besides, some of us are convinced that if the government continues with the careless handling of the security situation in the country, I foresee that more youths will be ready and willing to join Boko Haram in the future.
“Most Nigerian youths now know that when you join Boko Haram and you are lucky not to be asked to detonate bombs, one is paid by them handsomely, when you are eventually arrested. The Federal Government will come to your help and provide a rehabilitation platform with the purpose of providing training and resources for you to start life afresh.
“If you are very lucky, the Federal Government will recruit you into the army. With the increasing unemployment level, which youth will not want to dare that?
“For the avoidance of doubt, we have a reliable information that the suspect who has been confused about his real name is actually a psychiatric patient and was holding fireworks instead of a bomb. God chose to expose those supporting terrorism in Nigeria by this singular act.
“If you want to know those who are directly or indirectly supporting terrorism in Nigeria, look out for those who are projecting the faith of the suspect on the matter and have not been heard at any point condemning the act of terrorism in most parts of Nigeria.
“You will find out that they didn’t sympathise with Christians and the family of those beheaded recently by Boko Haram. Like we have said, it is an act of irresponsibility for any government or Nigerian leader to spend time fighting those lamenting the act of insecurity instead of proffering solutions, preaching to the international community against the cry of citizens instead of telling them what they have done and comparing how many people were killed between the former and present regime.
“Let the President Buhari take seriously his responsibility of protecting Nigerians by providing the needed welfare to the security personnel on duty and overhauling the security chiefs.”
