SEGUN AYINDE, ABEOKUTA
Ogun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday held a security summit to find lasting solutions to the menace of ritual killings, kidnapping and robbery attack on churches in the state and the entire country.
The summit had in attendance various security agencies in the state including the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Department of State Security Service, among others.
Speaking at the event held at the Treasure House of God Church in Abeokuta, the state CAN chairman Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya said the purpose of the summit with the security agencies was to find lasting solutions to the problems of ritual killings and kidnapping of Christians as well as burgling of churches musical equipment and electronic appliances in the state and other parts of the country.
Akin-Akinsanya, who said the security of the country should not be left in the hands of government alone, urged Christians at the summit to rub minds together with the security agencies to draw knowledge from their expertise on security tips in order to forge an unending synergy between the church and the security agencies.
The Bishop said that the Christian could no longer take a back stage in the security affairs of the country.
He said, “There is no better time for Christians to watch than now in view of the menace of armed robbery, kidnappings, rituals and burgling of church facilities. These challenges have brought to the fore the greater need for Christians to put on the whole armour of God and face the devil squarely with the assurance of victory from the word of God.”
“Security has its particular dynamics which can only be properly analyses by specific agents of government designated to unravel and tackle such complex dynamics. In an increasingly complex and interconnected environment that we find ourselves today, no structure can do it alone. Security can no longer be left in the hands if the government and security agencies alone,” he added.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, told the Christians at the forum to see the security of the state as the responsibilities of all, stressing that his government is committed to tackling the problem of the insecurity in the state.
He said, “We need to see security as our responsibilities. This is the time for us to wake up. We will continue to provide adequate security and that’s out priority.”
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Makama, who spoke through his Deputy, DCP Awolowo Ajogun, condemned attacks on Christians and their churches, saying the issues of security in the state and the country should be a joint responsibility of both the police and the members of the public, as he urged the Christian leaders to employ guards to secure their churches.
“Please employ able men to secure your churches. As members of the public, it is our responsibility to combat crime criminology. It is unfortunate that we don’t take the issue of security very serious,” he said.
