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“Nigeria on way to Golgotha, only divine intervention can stop it”: Christian Youth Leader

The Logo of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Youth Wing (YOWICAN). The Youth leaders have bemoaned the spate of kidnappings in the country calling on the government to act.

Christian youth leaders in Nigeria have bemoaned the state of insecurity in the West African nation characterized by frequent kidnappings.

Speaking on Sunday, March 28, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Youth Wing (YOWICAN) describe the abductions as “anti-human behavior” and the situation “disheartening.”

YOWICAN officials lamented the March 26 evening kidnapping of eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Jema’a Local Government Area within the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna.

“As youths, we are disappointed that victims could be left with correspondence from the government without any further actions. Nigeria is on its way to Golgotha and only divine intervention can stop it,” YOWICAN’s National Chairman, Belusochukwu Enwere said during the entity’s retreat in the country’s capital, Abuja.

Mr. Enwere added, “Our hearts bleed that a busload of Christians from RCCG from Kaduna Province 1 going for prayer work to Kafanchan was abducted on their way. The incident of kidnapping is a case too many and has left bitter tastes in our mouths.”

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In his speech titled, “‘Kidnapped RCCG members: Nigeria on the march to Golgotha,” the Christian youth leader further said that incidences of kidnapping in Africa’s most populous nation have “become a norm in our society where humans, on daily basis, could be whisked away by gunmen.”

“For some time now, kidnapping has become the new trend in our society. Our students in Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna and other parts of the country were kidnapped. And now abduction of church members. This is disheartening indeed,” he went to bemoan in his March 28 speech.

According to RCCG leadership, the abductors of the eight Christians have reached out to the church officials, demanding a 50 million Naira ransom (US$.131,216.00).

“The government must rise now and take responsibility for the security challenges going on in the country,” YOWICAN’s National Chairman said March 28 and posed, “How could citizens be taken away just like that without a trace?”

Making reference to the March 26 abduction, he added, “This anti-human behavior cannot be corrected by mere condemnation by the government on the pages of Newspapers. No responsible government will just sit or stand akimbo and watch the country slide into anarchy.”

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The youth leader went on to urge President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and the security agencies to “sit up” and “act now or never” since “The protection of lives and properties of the common man is their primary responsibility.”

“If the situation does not improve, YOWICAN fears that self-defense may be inevitable as Nigerian citizens may be forced to arm themselves in churches, mosques, while travelling and in some holy places,” he cautioned.

To the official of the ecumenical body that includes representatives of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) further said that the leadership of the West African nation “must not forget in a hurry, John F. Kennedy who, in 1962, said that, ‘Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.’”

The CAN youth leadership raised concerns over the situation of insecurity in Nigeria, days after a Catholic Priest of the country’s Warri Diocese was released after a weeklong captivity.

Fr. Harrison Egwuenu had been abducted by unknown gunmen on March 15 while returning to St. George’s college Obinomba where he recently assumed the office of Principal.

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Confirming the safe release of Fr. Egwuenu, the Administrator of the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Warri Diocese, Fr. Benedict Okutegbe challenged the Buhari-led government to realize its primary duty of safeguarding the lives of Nigerians.

“We demand more from our government. Not tomorrow but now! They should #Stand UP or STAND DOWN#,” Fr. Okutegbe appealed during the March 25 interview with ACI Africa.