The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Friday said lamented that the impact of the prevailing harsh economic situation in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians.
The association in the 19 Northern States and Abuja also noted that the increasing security challenges have also become a grave concern.
There has been restiveness in the country over the prevailing depressing economic situation such that last Monday, angry youths and women took to the streets of Minna, the Niger State capital, and Kano to protest what they termed the rising cost of living in the country. Similar protests also erupted in Ondo State, South West Nigeria.
The Northern CAN said in a statement by its Secretary-General, Elder Sunday Oibe, in Kaduna that the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency step in and address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country.
According to the organization’s Secretary-General, “the suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians as the high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services has made life difficult for many Nigerians.”
He argued that all these were being compounded by the escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnappings for ransom.
Elder Oibe also said the Christian body was sad over the continued attack on Plateau State where no fewer than 300 people were killed recently, calling on the government to do everything possible to halt the killings not only in Plateau but across the country.
The statement entitled “The Federal Government should urgently address the escalating insecurity and hunger in the country” noted: “The Christian Association of Nigeria in the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory wishes to express its deep concern over the prevailing economic hardship and the increasing security challenges across the country.
“The suffering in the country is becoming unbearable for ordinary Nigerians. The high cost of foodstuffs, transportation, goods, and services has made life difficult for many Nigerians. The epileptic power supply has led to the collapse of many small businesses.
“The continued decline in the value of the naira and the seeming inability of the government to address the situation have completely weakened the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians. The situation is further compounded by escalating insecurity occasioned by rampant killings and kidnappings for ransom.
“Unless justice is done, by ensuring that the perpetrators and the sponsors are brought to book, all the talks about peace may be mere rhetoric. The government must take urgent steps to address the depressing economic and escalating security situation in the country.
“We called on governments at all levels to support our security agencies with all that is required to fight these criminals. We also called on Nigerians to cooperate with security personnel and pray for them as they confront these enemies of the nation.”
Similarly, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar, the leader of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, has also expressed concern over the economic situation.
Sultan urged both the federal and state governments to intervene in the prevailing economic hardship that had forced Nigerians into protests.