CAN backs Kumuyi on Aba crusade, pleads with  IPOB to embrace peace

The Christian Association of Nigeria  (CAN) has called on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to allow the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church (DLBC), Pastor William Kumuyi, hold his crusade in   Aba ,Abia State.

The spokesperson of CAN, Adebayo Oladeji, who spoke with The PUNCH said Kumuyi’s crusade programme in  Aba would be a blessing to the people of the state, adding  that bloodshed and other forms of insecurity in the state and other South East require God’s intervention.

He was reacting to a statement by IPOB advising Kumuyi to cancel the planned six-day crusade scheduled to hold from May 24, 2022 to May 29 in Aba, Abia State due to security concerns in the South-East region.

Oladeji said, “It is unfortunate that we have killings going on in the South East. If the political will is there, I believe the killings in the region would have ended.

“We have a situation where you have IPOB declaring sit-at-home and despite the assurance by the government, people will decide to listen to IPOB. Is that what Nigeria should be? This is the situation we find ourselves.

 “If IPOB issued such a statement, it is just a reflection of what we are going through in the country. This situation is a precarious one. What CAN will say is that our politicians are in the rat race again. We should open our eyes and vote for people who can protect us.

“There’s nothing we can do than to appeal to them (IPOB). We want IPOB to know that his coming to that part of the country is going to be a blessing and bring victory to the people of the state and the region at large.”

In a statement on Thursday, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, had asked Kumuyi to take note of the security situation in the South East ahead of his gospel crusade.

Powerful said, “Let him and the organisers of the crusade make sure that nothing happens. The security of this region is not good because of political and criminal activities. We, therefore, advise him to stop this crusade for security reasons.

“IPOB will not allow anyone to die because of this crusade scheduled to hold in Aba. The probability of criminals operating as unknown gunmen infiltrating the crusade is high and they will blame it on IPOB.

“We ask him to pray for an end to the insecurity in Biafra land if he can. We charge Christians and men of God in Biafra land to engage God in fervent prayers to expose all those behind the insecurity in our land.”

He urged the pastor to pray against wicked leaders and saboteurs in the South-East and Nigeria, saying they are the real problems of the people.

The statement read in part, “Let him use the opportunity to pray against powers holding the people captive in Nigeria and in his church in Lagos.

“We equally want them to be united against injustice. We had expected them to demand justice for the innocent Deborah Yakubu burnt alive by Muslim fanatics in Sokoto State.

“Her killers are walking freely today and 34 lawyers shamelessly volunteered to defend her killers but Christians are just watching them. The double faced Nigeria security agencies only managed to arrest two of her killers because they are Muslims; but if it were to be in the South-East, all the youth on the street would be in police custody by now while the unlucky ones killed.

“How many Igbo or Christian lawyers came to defend our leader fighting for the freedom of all Biafrans? But 34 Muslim lawyers have come out in defence of the killers of Deborah Yakubu.

“Is it not time Christians and men of God wake up to the realities in Nigeria? They should support Biafra and Oduduwa agitators in their bid to free the Igbo and Yoruba people from the Islamic bondage in Nigeria so that they will enjoy freedom of worship in both republics.

“Leah Shuaibu is still in captivity today because she is a Christian but all the Muslims abducted along with her have since been freed. Christians must support IPOB to liberate them from bondage in Nigeria.

“Kumuyi should also pray against wicked leaders and saboteurs in Biafra land and Nigeria. They are the real problems of the people. Let him use the opportunity to pray against the powers holding people captive in Nigeria in his church in Lagos.”