The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop paying lip service to the incessant killings in the country.

The association gave the advice while condemning the recent killing of about 22 people in Plateau State.

The religious body said: “Stopping the killing of the innocents by the criminals cannot be done by merely issuing press statements and holding periodical meetings with the security chiefs by the president.”

In a statement issued on Friday by its General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola, CAN said until the government shows the political will by arresting and bringing culprits to book, the shedding of innocent blood would not cease.

Daramola said: “While we commiserate with the bereaved of the dastardly attack on those travellers, we were alarmed by the statement of President Buhari describing the motive behind the criminality as ‘religious persuasion.

“This is the first time that the federal government will make this type of assertion. Whenever CAN cries out against the killings of its members, the government always rises up to condemn us telling us that the terrorists and bandits that are killing are not targeting any religion but innocent people irrespective of their religious affiliations.”

Read Also; Plateau crisis: CISLAC, Nasarawa CAN, JNI condemn killings

CAN said, the reaction of the president is provocative, unacceptable and unjustifiable.

Daramola said the government should not be seen as being on the side of one religion against another, adding: “Criminals are criminals irrespective of their religious affiliations. One minister reportedly said the president lost his appetite as a result of the killing on the Plateau. Such unguarded comments and actions of the government, including the Nigeria Police, appear strange since the same people never took the convincing steps as this since the time criminals have been attacking predominantly Christian communities in the Middle belt zone especially in the same Plateau State.

“Once again, we repeat that the government was wrong in tagging the unlawful actions of the criminals as religious. While we are pained in our hearts for the callous killing of the innocent people in the buses, we are not impressed by the government’s comments which are divisive, religion-wise”.

CAN said it is shocking and disappointing to hear that the Police have deployed a ‘surveillance helicopter’ to apprehend criminals.

It wondered why the same Police did not take the same measure to apprehend the terrorists tagged bandits who are holding many people captive, including several students, in different forests.

“This government is seriously called upon to be alive to its responsibilities. Till date, no one has been held for the killing of hundreds of people in Benue State, Plateau State and Southern Kaduna. This is totally unacceptable, unjustifiable and unbelievable.

“We also call on the Federal Government to stop recycling the terrorists through the so-called deradicalisation and rehabilitation of criminals. In civilised nations, criminals who surrendered or were arrested are prosecuted and sentenced.

“We commend Senator Ndume who has been in the forefront of this campaign. As far as we are concerned, criminals who are abducting and placing heavy ransom on their victims are not bandits but terrorists and if the government has no sympathy for these criminals, let them stop them. Our security agencies have what it takes to stop these terrorists but they are playing ostrich. We charge the federal government to fix the security challenges or throw in the towel”.

The Plateau State chapter of the association called for the immediate establishment of State Police to end the incessant attacks by suspected  herdsmen in parts of the state.

Chairman of CAN in Plateau State Rev. Fr Polycarp Lubo, stated this on Thursday while speaking with reporters after he visited Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Plateau  Specialists Hospital, Ola Hospital all in Jos North Local Government Area of the state to assess the situation of the victims of the reprisal attacks on Sunday in Jos.

He said the only immediate solution to incessant attacks, killings of innocent farmers and reprisal attacks is the establishment of state police which gives powers and capacity to the state governors to take prompt action to safeguard lives and properties.

He stressed that the incessant, unlawful killings and the general feeling of insecurity going on across the nation in the past four years are indication that the present security architecture in Nigeria is no more able to assure Nigerians of their security.

“The real tragedy across Plateau State is that we risk more attack and loss of lives unless we decentralise our policing system and allow every component state to establish their own state police to protect lives and properties of it citizens.”