Don’t be discouraged by threats of“blood thirsty gangs”–CAN president preaches

Following the massacre of Christians at Deeper Life
Bible Church on Monday night in Okene,
Kogi state by gunmen believed to be members of the
Islamic sect Boko Haram, the president of
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Pasror
Oritsejafor has urged Christians to be more
security conscious.
Even as churches around the Federal Capital
Territory, Abuja and northern states now
intensify security surveillance around their premises
during and after services.
The CAN president further advised pastors, leaders of
churches as well as their followers not to
be deterred from the incessant attacks on churches
across the northern states of the of the
country.
In a statement sent to African Examiner, Pastor
Oritsejafor believes "from the attack in Okene,
the enemies of Christians and christainity in Nigeria
have changed tactics from their Sunday
attacks on Churches to an everyday onslaught. "
The statement partly reads thus:
"The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria
(CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
commiserates with the families of those who lost
their loved ones in the attack by gunmen in
Okene, the Church and leadership of the Deeper Life
Bible Church and prays that the Almighty
God will grant them the courage to bear this great
loss.
"He, therefore, urges the leadership of the various
churches in Nigeria to step up security
around their churches as they hold their daily
devotions, crusades and night vigils while also
being security conscious at all times.
"The CAN leader calls on the Federal Government to
also change its strategies by making the
various Joint Task Forces stronger through the
provision of additional military and Police cover
for Churches in the northern part of the country and
internally stiffening its intelligence network.
"He says CAN has been in the fore-front of those
calling on the Federal Government to be
decisive and adds that now is the time to save the
Church, innocent Nigerians from the attacks
of murderous groups who believe that the only way
to fight for God is by killing those who are
not of the same faith with them and those against
their understanding of the muslim religion.
"The President of CAN says Christians will not be
deceived to think that they are not the targets
of the murderous gangs just because they have
started attacking fellow Muslims and notes that
the Muslims being attacked are those opposed to the
callous activities of the gang.
"CAN sympathises with them and urges them not to
be discouraged by the threats from
bloodthirsty gangs.
"CAN, he says, believes that the attacks on them are
diversionary and calculated to shield their
real motives from the world and that they are to
deceive Nigerians and indeed the international
community that their attacks are not only aimed at
Christians.
"CAN repeats without fear that the series of gun and
bomb attacks are primarily targeted at
Christians in the north in order to exterminate all
forms of western education and enthrone
Islamic law of Sharia as the universal law in Nigeria, a
country with multi-religious population.
"CAN sides with the Muslims being persecuted in the
north and urges them to continue to
speak out against those portraying their religion as
that against peace. It also calls on other
religious leaders in the north to rise up against
elements in their midst who are standing the
real tenets of their religion on its head. They can
impact the lives of their people by believing
that the best form of Jihad is truth."