The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Northern Nigeria, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has said faith-based violence remains a serious threat to national unity and peaceful coexistence, noting that no Nigerian deserves to be killed on account of religion, tribe and section.
Hayab made the assertions in a statement he issued in Akure, the Ondo State capital, when he paid a condolence visit to the Catholic Bishop of the Ondo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Jude Arogundade, over the June 2022 terrorist attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, which claimed the lives of over 40 worshippers during a Sunday Mass.
He described the Owo massacre and other similar attacks in several parts of the country, particularly in the North as a national tragedy.
The visit, according to the statement, was aimed at personally identifying with the diocese, encouraging survivors and families and reaffirming the solidarity of Northern Christians with communities affected by terror attacks nationwide.
Hayab advised governments at all levels to prioritise the protection of lives, ensure justice for victims by taking decisive action against perpetrators, saying that peace and national cohesion cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear and impunity.
He opined that no Nigerian deserves to die on account of his or her faith, stressing that what happened in Owo concerns every Nigerian, which has repeatedly occurred in the North with the pain being experienced everywhere.
Speaking during the visit, former Chairman of CAN in Ondo State and former President of the Ondo State Baptist Conference, Rev. Dr. Ayo Oladapo, described Bishop Arogundade as a father figure and a unifying voice for Christians in the state and beyond, adding that the suffering of one part of the Christian body affects the whole.
Leading the delegation to Bishop Arogundade, Rev. Fr. Anslem Ologunwa, Chairman of CAN in Ondo State, explained the personal journey of 15 years as Bishop of the diocese and 35 years in priesthood.
He noted the care extended to victims, including a survivor permanently in a wheelchair following a double amputation, stressing that the pain of the victims remains a collective responsibility for the Church and the nation.
He explained that about 60 children of the victims are benefiting from five-year scholarships under the church in various tertiary institutions, while the church continues to support families affected by the tragedy.
Bishop Arogundade, in his response thanked Hayab for the visit, describing it as a strong gesture of empathy and unity, pointing out that the visit reinforced the message that the Church remains united across regions and denominations in the face of violence.
The Bishop hailed the Kaduna State government for sponsoring the first Christmas carol aimed at countering the divisive phase left behind by the previous administration, thanking the efforts of some political leaders to unite the country.
He lamented the brutal loss of lives during the Owo massacre, recounting the horrific injuries suffered by some victims, including children, appealing to government authorities to take decisive action to ensure that citizens can live together in peace.
