‘No CAN member killed in Zamfara State over alleged blasphemy’

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern Chapter, has said that none of its members was among the eight persons killed over an alleged blasphemy at Talata Mafara area of Zamfara State.

Denying the killings at the weekend, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the association, Revd John Hayab, who spoke on the outcome of the Christian body’s emergency meeting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said: “Our people on ground confirmed to us that none of our people was killed. We don’t need to mention those that were killed.”

He said the body frowned at the killing of any Nigerian under the cover of religion or whatever.

He noted that the killing of innocent souls continued unabated in the region as well as other parts of the country because government had failed to live up to its responsibility to protect lives and property of Nigerians.

According to him, the lives of those lynched would have been saved if security operatives had acted swiftly to avert it.

It, therefore, called on the President and his team to urgently find measures to cushion the effect of the sufferings in the country.

On whether or not Christians in the North have pulled out from the national body of the CAN, Hayab said: “Clearly, we (CAN in northern Nigeria) have never said we are pulling out from the CAN. We only showed that the election was not properly conducted and we want to find ways of resolving the crisis or differences that came out as a result of the election. We are still part of CAN so that we can correct whatever wrongs that had been done and enjoy the respect of the people whenever we address any challenge in the future.”