Bishop Semion Okah, Bishop, Flock of Christ Mission, (m) Chairman, Bayelsa CAN, Archbishop Jacob Akpiri (2nd left), Rev Wellington Agala, Chairman Bayelsa PFN (2nd right) and other clergy men during the press briefing in Warri. 

By Francis Sadhere, Warri

The South South chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from his position as the president of the country because he has failed to protect Nigerians against Fulani herdsmen.

CAN who made this call in Warri, Delta State after a meeting of South-South CAN and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigerian (PFN) held at the headquarters of Flock of Christ Mission, stressed that President Buhari’s silence on the killings of Christians in northern part of the state is becoming worrisome to CAN.

They said they will no longer fold their arms and watch herdsmen continue to maim and kill their people in the South-South, adding hence forth, they are going to protect themselves from any herdsman that comes to kill them.

CAN said they are behind Apostle Johnson Suleman who they said spoke the minds of Christians when he asked them to defend themselves from attacks by Fulani herdsmen.

They also called on all Christians in the country to protect themselves against any herdsman that comes to their community to destroy their farm lands or rapes their women. They said since the government can no longer protect the ordinary citizen in the region, every Christian should organize his own security to defend himself.

Speaking to newsmen after the close door meeting, the Bishop of Flock of Christ Mission Incorporated, Bishop Simeon Okah, said, “The number one issue is this Fulani herdsmen who are in our bush killing and raping our wives. We are no longer going to fold our hands and watch while they kill our people.

“We are going to protect ourselves unless they go back to where they come from. Some governors are saying that they are not from the north and I see that claim as an insult to us. Today our children are now been deported from America and here we have people who come from outside our country killing our people and raping our daughters, mother and wives and our farmers no longer have farmlands to farm. I think it’s high time we started defending ourselves if the government cannot help us.”

CAN also warned the Federal Government to stop intimidating men of God who have come out to make statements that the people should defend themselves against any form of attack by any group of persons.

CAN also said that Christians would no longer tolerate a situation whereby clergy men are arrested and invited by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) for making statement that are not inciting and inflammatory.

Chairman, Bayelsa CAN, Archbishop Jacob Akpiri who also spoke to newsmen said, “We will never allow herdsmen to kill our people anymore. This should be the last time any herdsman should kill or kidnap any Christian in this region.”

“If the government makes the mistake of arresting any clergy man in this country, this nation will know no peace and if they want us to be divided then they should go ahead and touch any clergy man. We in the South South are no longer going to fold our arms while they arrest any of us.