Blame Nigerian governors, ministers for hunger, looting – Christian group

sky news africa Blame Nigerian governors, ministers for hunger, looting - Christian group

NIGERIA

A Christian group under the aegis of Northern Nigeria Christian (CNNC), has passed its verdict on the recent crisis of warehouse looting, occasioned by hunger that rocked the country in few days saying that governors and ministers should be blamed for the mayhem.

CNNC said the crisis which started with a peaceful protest tagged “EndSARS” for genuine agitation, turned sore after it was hijacked by hoodlums whom were waiting for a given opportunity to set the country on fire.

“It is important to raise critical concern over the escalating violence affecting innocent people of Nigeria under the guise of EndSARS protests where many lives have been lost and billions of naira properties are looted or burnt to ashes amidst the ongoing economic crisis in our country”, Engr. Daniel Kadzai, Chairman Congress of Northern Nigeria Christians, said.

Kadzai who spoke in a statement sent to our correspondent on Thursday, said the looting would have been averted if only the foodstuffs and other items for palliatives meant to cushion the effect of COVID-19 were adequately distributed.

He wondered why after the disbursement of “Bailout Funds”, to governors’ couple of years back and other social intervention programs targeted at the youths as initiated by the federal government, majority of the citizens still live in abject poverty.

“Government should leave no stone unturned to address the root cause of why our beloved Nigerians are breaking into COVID-19 warehouses, and even other places used to store equipment all over the country. How can we explain hunger, anger in the land and the desperate poverty in the land with huge bailout given to governors, excess crude funds and metric tons of food stuffs sent across Nigerian states?

“Huge amount spent on school feeding programs is another big problem that must also be addressed. There is an urgent need to come up with humane and appropriate strategies for making the palliatives available to the Nigerian population who desperately need them in a more respectful and orderly manner.  Access to food in these times of pandemic and lockdown is a critical matter globally, as it is in Nigeria”, Kadzai said.

Despite blaming President Muhammadu Buhari’s lieutenants for the mishap, Kadzai who is also the National Youth President Congress of Northern Nigeria Christian, however condemned in strong terms the killings of innocent citizens and all atrocities committed by those against the unity and progress of Nigeria, adding that the perpetrators must be brought to book.

“We wish to firmly register dissatisfaction to how a protest that has revealed so much of the plight of the Nigerian people has been hijacked by anarchists and enemies of Nigeria, and even attempted to import dangerous religious and ethnic sentiments to set Nigeria into unending crisis, this is evident following the targeted attacks on worships places of both Christians and Muslims.

“We call on Nigerian Youth to choose dialogue and non-violence as the best possible approach for bringing forward their grievances and urged the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to promptly respond to the urgent demands of #EndSARS.

“There is much more work to be done because most of Buhari’s appointees are either incompetent or a part of the problems following their inability to calm their constituents who are mostly the youth.

“We must resort to dialogue at all times. We also urge those in government to listen and put the good of the public their utmost priority. We urge religious leaders to please speak up and speak out as the times demand, and that they do this now in order to reconcile the Nation. 

“CNNC welcomes the resolve of government to institute a committee to look into the questions and grievances being put forward by the Nigerian Youth and the Nigerian people in the EndSARS protests, and counsel that the committee it is convening be made-up of a strong representation of the EndSARS movement and a cross section of other representations of the Nigerian citizenry to further advice government on appropriate solutions that meet the envisions of the Nigerian youth and the Nigerian citizenry”, Kadzai said.

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