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CAN waves aside DSS warning of imminent attacks as fear mongering
BY NICHOLAS ABE
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has alleged that the alarm by the Department of State Security (DSS) about plot to cause religious crises in the country by ‘some elements’ was an artificial creation, aimed at causing fear and panic among people.
This is even as the apex Christian body said the DSS alert was being perceived as a ploy to stop some clerics from expressing their views on the state of the nation.
The DSS had Monday raised alarm that there was a plot to incite religious violence in Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Rivers, Oyo, Lagos, and some states in the South East.
DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya, in a statement titled, ‘Plots to incite religious violence in Nigeria’, on Monday, also warned that some worship centres and religious leaders may be attacked.
But CAN Vice Chairman (Northern region), Rev. John Hayab, told Vanguard, on Monday night, that the DSS ought to pursue, arrest, and expose those plotting to destabilise the country through the instrument of religion before sharing intelligence report with the public.
He said, “It has become a weekly or monthly practice for our dear security agency to make statements that only help to create fear and pave ways for evil people to cause citizens harm.
“If you truly have a security report about anyone or any group trying to instigate violence just do to them what the law says. But coming out to create panic every time is not good for the people who are already living in self-pity and have lost hope due to the high level of insecurity in the nation.
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“Sometimes these statements are seen as a strategy to stop people from expressing their views. Whenever a strong view has been made and others are saying theirs too, that is when you will hear security alert.”
Hayab also accused security agencies of not showing enough concern when places of worship were attacked and people killed.
“As a leader of the Church, I know my people have been attacked, killed, and have had their homes and places of worship destroyed or vandalized when there was no quarrel between them and anyone.
“And in all these pains, the security agencies did not show serious concern or go after the arsonist or criminals.
“We, therefore, do not understand why they should be making statements that will only create panic when no arrest has been made and no good steps are taken to show or teach lawbreakers serious lessons.”
He urged the agency to go after those planning evil, against Nigeria to prove the credibility of their intelligence report about the plots to invite religious crisis in some states.
“Coming out always to make statements that will only create more fear in the minds of citizens at a time they are already in fear at home, on the road, and everywhere in the country is not a good way to secure us,” Hayab added.