‘Christians always targeted for persecution’

FOR so long, Christians in Nigeria have been targeted and oppressed by political and other authorities, the President of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Gado, has said.

He lamented that this is why churches are often destroyed and Christians killed, especially during crises, in spite of the constitutional provision for Freedom of Worship.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, after assessing the churches in the crisis-prone areas of the North East, Gado urged President Muhammadu Buhari, other political and religious leaders to do everything possible to protect Christians and minorities, and eschew religious and ethnic favouritism.

According to him, Christian religion authorities have graphic statistics of all the churches destroyed during various crises. He further called on Christians to protect themselves and not leave everything to the government.

The ECWA president stressed that the nation’s unwholesome predicaments stemmed from the society’s sins against God. He further advised Christian bodies to wake up to their spiritual responsibilities, regretting that churches have failed in their godly duties.

On the state of the nation, Gado said the whole country is grateful to God for a peaceful transition and for averting an imminent doom. However, he noted that the country is in transition, adding that transition time is always risky hence the need for prayer to avoid things going wrong.

More so, he urged citizens to be patient with the president, noting that it is too early to judge him. Rather, people should continue asking God to grant him and leaders across levels the wisdom to govern well.

Nevertheless, the clergy unequivocally condemned gay marriage, stating that God does not make any mistake in creating man and woman. According to him, gay marriage or lesbianism is against the will of God and the law of nature, and any person, group or government that allows such evil is working towards the extinction of the human race.