The Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) has reached to a threat by Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai of
Kaduna State to arraign the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel
Centre, Dr Paul Enenche for “hate speech”.
El-Rufai had stated that
Enenche’s comments escalated recent killings that rocked Kasuwan Magani on
October 18, 2018 that was followed with the assassination of the Agom Adara, Dr
Maiwada Raphael Galadima, on October 26, 2018.
In a statement on Wednesday,
Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, spokesman to the CAN president, Rev. Dr Samson
Ayokunle, said CAN had examined the video clip of the Pastor and are abreast of
all the facts concerning the Kasuwan Magani killings among others.
He said: “The main subject of Dr
Enenche’s clip which Governor el-Rufai is alleging to be a “hate speech” to us
is an outright condemnation of the fate that has befallen the Adara people and
Christians in Southern Kaduna through the creation of new emirates namely;
Lere, Kagarko and Kujuru. By the creation of these emirates, especially that of
Kajuru, the Adara people have been subjugated.
“From a careful study of the
speech, Pastor Enenche is not the originator of what he spoke about. He said;
“about the middle of this year we heard a Christian first class Chief, that
they were told from the news report we heard…” hence the video, he was speaking
about was what he read or heard from the news.
“While we will continue to
condemn hate speech by religious leaders and other Nigerians, we cannot stand
and watch our respected leaders being set up for molestation, humiliation and
prosecution for an unfounded “hate speech.” We have also followed the speeches
of Governor El-Rufai and have felt strongly that he has been engaged in making
inciting speeches, but several efforts deployed to draw his attention have been
fruitless.
“His statement that his
government had paid herdsmen to stop the killing in his State without any due
compensation to the victims of attacks is still fresh in the minds of
Nigerians. The questions in the minds of the church is; why is it very easy for
government to identify those lamenting over the unabated killings of Christians
in Kaduna and other states in the middle belt for persecution?
“Why is it easy by government to
seek to apprehend and prosecute the crying victims and almost an impossible
task to bring killers to justice? Why is it easier for the El-Rufai government
to know and get “the agents of careless statement…” but most expensive and
almost impossible for him to identify the Kaduna killing agents despite years
of such continuous killings? Have the killers of Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada
Raphael Galadima, been apprehended? How long will it take the Governor El-Rufai
to apprehend them?
“Any attempt to arrest and harass
any of our pastors again will be considered as an attempt to silence the voice
of the Church and reasoning in our nation. Let the Government defines clearly
the difference between what is considered hate speech and advocacy for dying
victims of continuous killings in Nigeria. What do you expect from a church
leader whose members and fellow citizens are being killed daily without any
satisfactory measures to abate the killings? Are we to keep clapping for
government while people are being massacred in cold blood?
“While we appreciate the fact
that no government will want her citizens to be killed, we will admonish
Governor El-Rufai to channel his strength towards getting the sponsors and
perpetrators of the heinous crimes going on in Kaduna State arrested and
prosecuted rather than chasing good Nigerians who are contributing immensely to
the peace, growth.”
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