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Tag: CAN

  • Can warns inec, security agencies against rigging Ekiti poll

    The Ekiti State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies against rigging.

    The umbrella Christian body urged the electoral umpire and security agencies, including the Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to be neutral in the discharge of their duties at the poll.

    The group warned that the sanctity of the ballots should be respected for Ekiti to be politically stable, develop and progress in all ramifications.

    These are some of the resolutions contained in the communiqué at the end of its plenary meeting held at First Baptist Church, Odo Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area.

    The communiqué was jointly signed by Ekiti CAN Chairman, Rev. Joshua Orikogbe and Secretary, Rev. Ipinlaye Samuel.

    On the Ekiti poll, CAN said: “We implore INEC and security agencies to be neutral and independent and create conducive atmosphere for free, fair and credible election.

    “We call on all Christians to go out and vote for candidates of their choice without fear or intimidation. We also appeal to losers to embrace the winner and equally strive to abide by the rules of elections.”

    The body also mourned the deaths of the CAN General Secretary, Dr Musa Asake, and the General Overseer of the Chapel of His Glory in Ekiti, Rev. Kunle Salami.

  • Asake’s burial: Family axes CAN from plans, rites

    •We want everyone involved, says younger brother

    The family of the late General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Musa Asake, has rejected offers of assistance from the apex Christian body on burial plans for the Kaduna-born preacher.

    Asake, 68, died on May 11 after a brief illness in Abuja.

    Our correspondent confirmed the family had already communicated the rejection of assistance to CAN.

    In a letter dated May 23 signed by the deceased’s son based in the United States of America Aminchi Musa Asake, the family declared unequivocally to the apex Christian body “we do not need your assistance.”

    Titled Letter of information, the document obtained exclusively by our correspondent reads: “I received your letter dated May 22. I want to thank CAN for reaching out to my family and wanting to commiserate with us on the passing of my father.

    “You have been so generous as to offer assistance with the planning of his burial, even planning a service of songs and commendation service.

    “But at this point, I must ask CAN to stop. We do not need your assistance.

    “The family has taken an independent decision that we will be solely responsible for the burial of our father, Late Rev Musa Asake.

    “We have already set up an independent committee and will proceed accordingly with our plans. Thank you.”

    It was gathered the letter might not unconnected with firm beliefs among family members that Asake was badly treated and frustrated by CAN leadership.

    One of them, who spoke with our correspondent on strict anonymity, confided that the deceased was constantly under pressure and fear following an alleged power play in the body.

    The family source said: “We cannot allow CAN leaders to shed crocodile tears during his funerals because many of them frustrated him so much in his last days on earth.

    “For example, we have SMS records of the President threatening to sack him and not pay his salary up to 24 hours before he died.

    “Such persons will come to the funeral to pay tributes when in their hearts they know they made living hell for our father. So, we will rather do the funeral as a family than allow his detractors to gloat over his corpse.”

    This feeling, according to family sources, was further reinforced when a delegation of CAN visited the deceased’s residence hours after his demise, asking for keys to his office at the Christian Centre, Abuja.

    “Our father died on Friday and the same day, CAN asked some officials to commiserate with us. Can you believe they asked us to deliver the keys to his office?

    “They want to take over the office when his body had not even settled down in the morgue. It is obvious they don’t mean well at all,” another family source stated.

    It was further gathered that another delegation of CAN visited the deceased’s residence last Tuesday with Asake’s widow refusing to receive them.

    The delegation was eventually received by a male relation who was reportedly handed an envelope, which he initially rejected.

    After many pleas, the relation received the envelope, which contained only N50, 000 to “support burial plans.”

    It was learnt the delegation also offered to buy the casket for the deceased, a suggestion that was immediately rejected by the family.

    The funeral committee set up by the family is headed by immediate Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage Commission(NCPC), John Kennedy with Rev Albert Uko as secretary and Pastor Bosun Emmanuel as Publicity Secretary.

    A statement by the committee stated an interdenominational Service of Songs holds on June 5 at Abuja by 4pm at the National Christian Centre while another Service of Songs is slated for June 7 at Kafanchan Stadium.

    The funeral holds on June 8 at Kafanchan Stadium by 10am while the interment is at Ungwa Rimi, his ancestral home.

    But CAN also has a committee headed by Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the National Director for National Issues.

    It stated a Service of Songs for the deceased holds on June 6 at the National Centre by 5pm.

    The commendation service is slated for June 7 by 9am.

    The wake is for Kafanchan Stadium same day while the funeral service on June 8 by 10am at Kaduna.

    Contacted Adegbite told our correspondent on phone two committees would meet tomorrow to “harmonise” things.

    The deceased’s younger brother, Jonathan, a former House of Representatives member also confirmed the harmonisation meeting to our correspondent.

    On whether he is aware of the letter from Asake’s eldest son, Jonathan asked our correspondent to discountenance it, fuelling speculations the family might be divided on the communication from Aminchi.

    “What I can tell you is that the family wants as many different components and interest groups accommodated so we are meeting on Monday to harmonise positions.

    “There is nothing like parallel committees. We want everybody involved because he was a public figure.”

  • Asake’s burial: Family axes CAN from plans, rites

    •We want everyone involved-younger brother

    The family of late General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Musa Asake, has rejected offers of assistance from the apex Christian body on burial plans for the Kaduna-born preacher.

    Asake, 68, died on May 11 after a brief illness in Abuja.

    Our correspondent confirmed the family had already communicated the rejection of assistance to CAN.

    In a letter dated May 23 signed by the deceased’s son based in the United States of America, Aminchi Musa Asake, the family declared unequivocally to the apex Christian body “we do not need your assistance.”

    Titled Letter of information, the document obtained exclusively by our correspondent reads: “I received your letter dated May 22. I want to thank CAN for reaching out to my family and wanting to commiserate with us on the passing of my father.

    “You have been so generous as to offer assistance with the planning of his burial, even planning a service of songs and commendation service.

    “But at this point, I must ask CAN to stop. We do not need your assistance.

    “The family has taken an independent decision that we will be solely responsible for the burial of our father, Late Rev Musa Asake.

    “We have already set up an independent committee and will proceed accordingly with our plans. Thank you.”

    It was be gathered the letter might not unconnected with firm beliefs among family members that Asake was badly treated and frustrated by CAN leadership.

    One of them, who spoke with our correspondent on strict anonymity, confided that the deceased was constantly under pressure and fear following an alleged power play in the body.

    The family source said: “We cannot allow CAN leaders to shed crocodile tears during his funeral because many of them frustrated him so much in his last days on earth.

    “For example, we have SMS records of the President threatening to sack him and not pay his salary up to 24 hours before he died.

    “Such persons will come to the funeral to pay tributes when in their hearts they know they made living hell for our father. So, we will rather do the funeral as a family than allow his detractors to gloat over his corpse.”

    This feeling, according to family sources, was further reinforced when a delegation of CAN visited the deceased’s residence hours after his demise, asking for keys to his office at the Christian Centre, Abuja.

    “Our father died on Friday and the same day, CAN asked some officials to commiserate with us. Can you believe they asked us to deliver the keys to his office?

    “They want to take over the office when his body had not even settled down in the morgue. It is obvious they don’t mean well at all,” another family source stated.

    It was further gathered that another delegation of CAN visited the deceased’s residence last Tuesday with Asake’s widow refusing to receive them.

    The delegation was eventually received by a male relation who was reportedly handed an envelope, which he initially rejected.

    After many pleas, the relation received the envelope, which contained only N50, 000 to “support burial plans.”

    It was learnt the delegation also offered to buy the casket for the deceased, a suggestion that was immediately rejected by the family.

    The funeral committee set up by the family is headed by immediate Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC), John Kennedy with Rev Albert Uko as secretary and Pastor Bosun Emmanuel as Publicity Secretary.

    A statement by the committee stated an interdenominational Service of Songs holds on June 5 in Abuja by 4pm at the National Christian Centre, while another Service of Songs is slated for June 7 at Kafanchan Stadium.

    The funeral holds on June 8 at Kafanchan Stadium by 10am while the interment is at Ungwa Rimi, his ancestral home.

    But CAN also has a committee headed by Bishop Stephen Adegbite, the National Director for National Issues.

    It stated a Service of Songs for the deceased holds on June 6 at the National Centre by 5pm.

    The commendation service is slated for June 7 by 9am.

    The wake is for Kafanchan Stadium same day while the funeral service is on June 8 by 10am in Kaduna.

    When contacted, Adegbite told our correspondent on phone the two committees would meet tomorrow to “harmonise” things.

    The deceased’s younger brother, Jonathan, a former House of Representatives member also confirmed the harmonisation meeting to our correspondent.

    On whether he is aware of the letter from Asake’s eldest son, Jonathan asked our correspondent to discountenance it, fueling speculations the family might be divided on the communication from Aminchi.

    “What I can tell you is that the family wants as many different components and interest groups accommodated so we are meeting on Monday to harmonise positions.

    “There is nothing like parallel committees. We want everybody involved because he was a public figure.”

     

  • Killings: CAN asks Buhari to forget second term

    •Christians commiserates with Catholics

    THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to forget his second term bid and tackle the killings in the country.

    CAN urged Buhari not to forget his 2015 campaign promises, which included fighting insecurity and keeping Nigeria united.

    According to the Christians body, Nigerians overwhelmingly voted for Buhari on the campaign promises.

    In a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media & Communications), to the CAN President, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, the association said Buhari’s administration should not fold its arms and watch misguided people, mostly Boko Haram and herdsmen, promote killings in the name of politics and ethnicity with solution appearing elusive.

    The statement commiserated with the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) over the mass burial for the two priests and parishioners killed by the herdsmen in Benue State.

    CAN described the present moment as a trying time for the church.

    “We also urge all Christians to identify with the Catholic Church in its nationwide peaceful protest against senseless killings in Nigeria,” the statement said.

    It asked the security agencies to rise up to the security challenges.

    The association said security operatives have no excuse to stop the unending killings.

    The statement reads: “It is disheartening to note that criminal Fulani herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers and other hoodlums have reduced Nigeria to a banana republic.

    “This development is unacceptable and we call on all well-meaning people anywhere in the world to join hands in praying for the deliverance, freedom and liberty from this self-inflicted bondage.

    “While CAN is not opposed to the President’s exercise of his civic right by seeking re-election to the office for the second time, we urge him to halt it meanwhile and attend to the security problems occasioned by the criminal activities of the terrorists, herdsmen and bandits.”

    It described Buhari’s ongoing campaign for re-election without plans to stop the state of anomie in the country as scary.

    The association prayed for comfort to the bereaved, accelerated recovery to those who are recuperating from the wounds and multiple injuries sustained from terror attacks.

    It said: “It is our hope that this season of incessant killings will soon become history in Jesus’ name.

     

     

  • Buhari didn’t give CAN N25 million, says Presidency

    •’Only PDP govt could give CAN such amount’

    THE Presidency last night denied the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari gave the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) N25 million for transportation when the body visited the State House, Abuja.

    Speaking with The Nation on telephone, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu vowed that Buhari could never give such amount away.

    He challenged those peddling the rumour to cross check their facts as such money could have been given to CAN under the past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Presidency.

    He said: “Which Presidency gave CAN N25 million? If anybody tells you that President Buhari gave CAN N25 million, will you believe it?

    “Which Presidency are they talking about, is it under APC or under PDP? Let them go and check.

    “No, no,  it cannot be under Buhari. It cannot be. Not under Buhari. Buhari cannot do that kind of thing. It will not happen.”

    According to media reports, the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) is accusing the leadership of CAN of corruption and abuse of office, claiming that the leadership collected N25 million from the Presidency during a visit to Buhari.

    In a memo, titled: ‘NCEF protests: Is NEC of CAN guilty of negligence?’ and signed by the Chairman, Elder Solomon Asemota, SAN, called on the National Executive Council, NEC, to investigate alleged high-handedness of the CAN President.

    According to the memo, NEC should immediately convene an emergency meeting to consider the issues raised and set up the process for investigation of CAN President Rev. (Dr.) Samson Olasupo and his suspension until the allegations have been investigated and he is cleared of wrongdoing.

    The memo urged the NEC to ensure that the investigation looks into the activities of other CAN officials on whose heads allegations of wrongdoing and misconduct hang.

    The Christian elders argued that it has the statutory right to “make its position public to Nigerian Christians and alert them that, if Christianity is destroyed in Nigeria or Christians continue to get slaughtered, the present NEC of CAN should be held responsible”.

    Ayokunle had dismissed the allegations.

     

     

     

  • Saraki mourns CAN’s scribe, Asake

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed sadness over the demise of a foremost Christian leader and General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Musa Asake.

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu,in Abuja, described the late Asake as a great Christian torchbearer whose work and influence will be of use to many generations.

    He noted that Asake’s passion, zeal and love for God and the plight of Christians in Nigeria marked him out as a worthy and true servant of God and humanity.

    He commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased, the leadership of the CAN, the Christian community and the government and people of Kaduna State over the huge loss.

    “Dr. Asake left no one in doubt where he stood on matters of faith and state during his lifetime,” Saraki said.

    “He was forthright in his utterances and humble. Above all, he was a man of peace.

    “His likes are rare. His demise represents a huge loss to the Christian faithful in particular and the country in general,” Saraki stated.

    Saraki prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased a place among the righteous ones in heaven, and his loved ones the grace to bear the irreparable loss.

  • CAN ‘won’t tolerate killings any longer’

    Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman Supo Ayokunle, said yesterday that Christans woud no longer tolerate killings across the country.

    He said in Ibadan after the protest: “We are gathered here united like Christians all over the country are gathered and united to say no. Capital no to bloodshed in Nigeria. Since 2009, bloodshed has continued, government after government, administration after administration has been promising us not to fear and go about our business that they are on top of the situation but we have seen that they are never on top of it. Bloodshed had continued. It used to be Boko Haram alone, now herdsmen especially the Fulani people have joined them and they have been killing people and decimating communities.

    “Now they have concentrated on Christian communities, the Middle Belt, which is majority Christians, they have been killing and maiming and to cap it all, they have now started going into churches. In the last one week, they have murdered two priests inside their churches while they were conducting mass and killed the people who came for worship. The Inspector General of Police is there, doing nothing, we have always been hearing of unknown gunmen, when will these unknown gunmen become known? Are they spirits? are they not human beings? What of the intelligence service of the security agencies, why are they inept, why are they inept? Instead of them going to comb bushes to recover all these guns from the murderous herdsmen, they are going about houses and telling people who are licensed to own guns to submit them. What type of security approach is that? It is questionable and complicity.

    “We have lost fate in the security agencies and they must sack all the security chiefs and replace them with new ones. No more bloodshed, if the bloodshed continues, this administration should forget about 2019. We cannot continue like this enough is enough.”

    “With the protest, what we are saying is that, if they do not address this matter, they should forget about 2019. Whether the President is going to recontest or not is not my problem, my problem is that he cannot continue to be there while bloodshed continues, while herdsmen continue to decimate communities and none of them is being brought to book. Or how many of them have you heard is being brought to book? If these continue, he should forget about leading this nation any further.”

    Encouraging the Christian communities being threatened by violence and marauding killers, the CAN President said, “they should stand firm and be strong. They should not be afraid or be coward, they should speak out the truth to powers because we all own Nigeria together. Christians are not second citizens in this country. We have no country of our own and we are also stakeholders like those in government and we are telling them, we didn’t vote them into power to kill all of us. If they see criminals, they have been given everything by the Nigerian nation to arrest the criminals and bring them to book. No excuse again can avail for lack of performance.”

    On the impeachment move of the President by the National Assembly, the cleric noted, “impeachment or not is not my problem. The legislative arm of government should do their work to uphold the law and make those who should uphold the law to do so.”

    Reacting to the call by the Catholic Bishops on President Buhari to step aside at a recent protest, the Nigerian Baptist Convention President said he had also advised the President to sack all the service chiefs and replace them with those with fresh ideas if he must save his head, especially as the killers seem to be determined to be concentrating on killing Christians.

    He said, “I have also told him to sack the service chiefs who cannot perform. What do you want the Catholic Church to say when two of their priests were killed inside the church, not inside anybody’s farm, not when they were running after anybody’s cow but they went to their churches and kill them. Do you want them (Catholic bishops) to tell such a government to continue?. Never.

    “They must also set Leah Sharibu free. She is captive of faith. What type of negotiation was the one they did, allowing other students to gain freedom and leaving one behind on the basis of her faith? This government will have blood on its hands if Leah Saribu is not released with immediate effect as well as all the Chibok girls who are still in captivity.”

  • Killings: Nigeria’s security system compromised – CAN

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Friday condemned the serial killings in Benue and other states in the country.

    CAN told President Muhammadu Buhari that recent development in Nigeria showed that the nation’s security system has been compromised.

    Briefing journalists on the state of the nation in Abuja, the General Secretary of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake, said the gunmen have legalized murder with the daily killings.

    He said: “Under Buhari the murderous Fulani herdsmen enjoyed unprecedented protection and favoritism to the extent that the herdsmen treat Nigeria as a conquered territory. Rather than arrest and prosecute the Fulani herdsmen, security forces usually manned by Muslims from the North offered them protection as they unleash terror with impunity on the Nigeria people.”

    “These criminals have been operating with impunity, leaving a strong impression that the security architecture in Nigeria has collapsed. There is also the suspicion that the entire security system in Nigeria is compromised. Unarguably, lawlessness and impunity are reigning supreme in Nigeria while the country is fast heading to chaos and anomie. It has never been this bad in the country that had lived relatively peacefully since independence.

    “The sad angle to it is that the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari is not giving majority of Nigerians the impression of being deeply touched by the turn of events. He has been acting complacent and indeed unmoved by the reign of terror that his administration has permitted since the past three years of being the President. Most painfully, the President seems to depend on his media aides to make responses, which often times had no bite on widespread bloodletting across the federation, most especially in the Middle Belt part of the country.”

  • Dapchi girls abduction: CAN declares today day of prayer for Leah’s release

    THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared today a day of special prayers nationwide for God’s intervention in the quick release of Leah Sharibu, the lone Dapchi school girl remaining in Boko Haram’s captivity.

    The terror sect is holding on to Leah for her refusd to renounce Christianity.

    CAN President, Reverend  Samson Ayokunle said in Abuja that if Leah Sharibu means nothing to the government and the security agency that negotiated the release of other Dapchi school girls, her  life means a lot to her parents and many Nigerians, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

     

  • CAN deplores ‘politicization’ of Dapchi girls’ abduction, release

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is unhappy at what it sees as politicization of the abduction and release of the Dapchi schoolgirls.

    The association, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, said politicians should “live up to expectation in the discharge of their official assignments.”

    It also asked the Federal Government to set up a high power judicial panel to investigate the abduction of the school girls with a view to unmasking those behind the abduction and make them face the full wrath of the law.

    Pastor Bayo Oladeji, the Media Adviser to CAN President, who signed the statement, said government should release the report of the Presidential panel set up to investigate the abduction and release of the schoolgirls.

    It rejoiced with the families of the 105 Dapchi schoolgirls who regained their freedom, but said it was “deeply worried, surprised and disappointed that not all the girls were rescue and, indeed, that one of them was left behind simply because of her Christian faith.”

    It added: “CAN condemns in strong terms the politicization of the abduction and release of the innocent Dapchi schoolgirls, appealing to politicians to live up to the expectation in the discharge of their official assignments.

    “The Federal Government should set up a high power judicial panel to investigate the abduction of the schoolgirls with a view to unmasking those behind the abduction and make them face the full wrath of the law;

    “The report of the panel purportedly set up by the Presidency to investigate the abduction should be released immediately to the public.

    “The National Assembly should conduct a public hearing on the Dapchi abduction saga to expose any cover-up.

    “The Federal Government should name the five students said to have died while in captivity with compensation paid to the bereaved parents.

    “We also demand the immediate release of the remaining Chibok girls in Boko Haram captivity and reunion with their families.

    “We once again demand a total re-organisation of the security agencies aligned with professionalism that will make them respond rapidly to security challenges in any part of the country.

    “We desire a proactive security system.”