Barely two months after the general elections, the Church of
Christ in Nations (COCIN) on Tuesday described the polls as the worst ever
general election in the history of the country.
COCIN equally prayed that those seeking justice will find it
at the tribunals.
This was disclosed by the COCIN President, Rev. Dachollom
Datiri, at the opening of the Church’s 96th General Church Council, ongoing at
its headquarters in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Datiri said, “The elections have come and gone, proving
wrong apprehensions of Nigerians of potentially violent polls.
“The elections were generally peaceful, but with the
drafting of the armed forces including the Nigeria army to the polling units,
and the number of petitions already at the tribunals reaching 736, (as The
Punch, April 5, 2019), these were the worse elections ever in the history of Nigeria.
“Let us pray that justice will be done at the tribunals”, he
stressed.
On the attacks ongoing in communities in Zamfara State and
Southern Kaduna, the Church said, “government must take responsibility and take
action because human life is too precious to be wasted casually.
“We call on the Government of Plateau State to see to the
establishment of the mobile barracks in Gashish that seem to have been
forgotten.
“Gashish district of Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State is one
of the worse hit when over 200 persons were attacked and killed thousands
displaced last June.
“Internally Displaced Persons are hardly mentioned in our
media anymore. Does that mean they no longer exist? I believe the answer is no!
“The truth is that they have been left to fend for
themselves. Some have struggled to find themselves places of abode, while
others have found their way into houses of relations and are squatting there.
“May I remind government that it is their constitutional
responsibility to provide accommodation and relief materials to Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs),” he maintained.
Speaking on government’s fight against corruption, Datiri
said, “Many Nigerians are left feeling disenfranchised and disappointed that
the fight against corruption promised them four years ago have not been
fulfilled.
“The whole thing seems like a mirage or at best a lopsided
fight targeted at the opposition.
“Government needs to demonstrate more clearly, sincerity of
purpose and impartiality here,” he admonished.
On the case of Leah Sharibu and other abducted girls who are
still in the custody of Boko Haram insurgents, the COCIN President said, ” Leah
Sharibu is now 16 years old and has been in captivity in the hands of Boko
Haram because of her faith in Christ for more than a year now.
“In a civilised society, the country would have come to
standstill in the first few hours of her abduction, until she was found.”
Earlier in his goodwill message, the General Secretary of
Tarrayar Ecclisiyar Kristi A Nigeriya (TEKAN), a conglomerate of 15 churches,
Rev. Moses Ebuga, decried the spate of ongoing kidnappings in the country, adding
that what used to be heard from afar before is now” at our doorsteps”.
Ebuga said, “Close to us here is the case of CRCN Legal
Adviser, Barr. L.O. Yabura, who was kidnapped on his way to Takum to attend a
court case.
“So far, in the hands of kidnappers are eight other CRCN
members; all yet to released.”
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