Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) speaks as if it is an opposition political party.
Adesina was reacting to a statement by the Christian body on the death of Lawan Andimi, CAN chairman of Michika local government in Adamawa state.
Andimi was killed on Monday after N800 million ransom allegedly demanded by the insurgents was not paid.
Reacting to his killing, the association asked President Muhammadu Buhari “to purge himself of the allegations of nepotism and religious favouritism by reconstituting the leadership of security outfits”.
But in an article entitled: ‘Beheaded Adamawa Pastor: CAN Got It Mixed Up’, on Friday, Adesina said CAN should purge itself of narratives aimed at discrediting the Buhari administration.
He said it was reckless of CAN to suggest that the government is colluding with the insurgents.
“If any purging is to be done, is it not by those making allegations? The allegations lasted for many years, but truth eventually overtook them,” he said.
“If CAN would then still dwell on the discredited accusations, it must be the one to purge itself, as millions of Nigerians, including Christians, have already done. The insecurity in the country is not about any religion. It is pure evil, from the pit of hell.
“Let’s consider this part of the press statement. Maintenance of security is the least responsibility of any government that knows its worth. Not news. The constitution says so. But don’t you glean a hint of bile and bias in ‘that knows its worth?’ Oh, CAN, this is not the mind of our Master.
“He gives praises when due. Security is number one on the priorities of the Buhari administration. It has pumped time and humongous resources into it, and while the job is not fully done, we are not in the same position we were before the administration came.
“CAN says kidnappings and killings are shameful to a government that boasts that it has conquered insurgency. Boasts. So that is all that matters to CAN, as if it was an opposition political party? Boasts. No. This would not augur for unity and cohesion in a country.
“We are not asking the Christian body to be in bed with government, that would not help anybody, but the organization has been sounding too long like a political party.”
