The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in 19 Northern states and Abuja, have said they have nothing to celebrate on Nigeria’s democracy day as a result of the excruciating pain and hardship in the country.
CAN explained that democracy is about recognising and guaranteeing the fundamental human rights of citizens, saying that it is about allowing the will of the people to take preeminence in matters of public concern.
The Public Relations Officer of Northern CAN, Rev Jechonia Albert, in a statement titled; ‘Democracy Day, Insecurity and the looming food crisis’, made available to Newsmen in Kaduna on Monday lamented that the larger majority of Nigerians cannot breathe because of certain undemocratic tendencies of their leaders.
Against this backdrop and the prevailing economic and security challenges, according to northern CAN, celebrating June 12 as Democracy Day makes no meaning to the Nigerian populace hence not worthy of celebration.
The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond rhetorics and match his words with action this time around to inspire confidence among Nigerians.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had in his Democracy Day broadcast to the nation repeatedly promised to address the security situation.
Northern CAN lamented that declaring June 12, a Democracy Day by the current administration is marked with mixed feelings across the country.
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It observed that in Lagos, Abuja and some Southern states, Nigerians trooped to the streets to protest against the unfortunate state of affairs in the country.
The Christian body also claimed the current state of the nation, has plunged the vast majority of the people into hunger, poverty, frustration and despondency.
The group noted that amidst increasing insecurity, bad economy and undemocratic tendencies among the leaders, that there was nothing worth celebrating.
We are particularly concerned about the security situation which appeared to have overwhelmed the government.
CAN said it was particularly concerned about the security situation which appeared to have overwhelmed the government as bandits, kidnappers and Boko Haram insurgents continue to unleash mayhem on Nigerians, killing innocent people and sacking communities.
‘Nigerians, especially, in rural communities have been rendered homeless by bandits across the country, communities are being raided people are being killed or abducted by rampaging bandits and other criminal elements.’
‘The security situation has crippled the economy as travelling on the highways across the country has become a nightmare to Nigerians, the rains are here but farmers cannot go to the farms for fear of being killed or abducted by bandits.’
‘These attacks, if not checked, many parents and children would be forced to abstain from school, given the recent cases in Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger States, where parents of abducted schoolchildren paid hundreds of millions of naira to bandits for the release of their children.’
CAN called on the federal government to urgently address the security situation once and for all to liberate Nigerians from criminal gangs and their reign of terror while appreciating the efforts of security agencies despite the challenges they also face in protecting Nigerians.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK