Groups tackle Buhari's aide - 'You are blind to Christians’ persecution'

A coalition of 25 Christian non-governmental organisations has claimed the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, has made himself “the stumbling stone each time the Christian Association of Nigeria raises and re-echoes godly concerns of Nigerian Christians”.

Adesina had accused CAN of “sounding too long like a political party” in his reaction to the body’s statement on the execution of its chairman in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Lawan Andimi, by Boko Haram.


But the coalition in a statement on Saturday by its National Coordinator, Isaac Okonkwo, and National Secretary, Garba Yohanna, asked Adesina to stop using his office to attack CAN leaders.

The statement read, “It is an open knowledge that terrorists and their kinsmen, Fulani herdsmen, have turned many predominantly Christian communities into killing fields.

“This is too obvious to be disputed except to the insincere and mischievous minds like Adesina.

“We note with great sadness that Femi Adesina, a Christian elder in the Body of Christ, and a presidential aide, a journalist of no mean reputation, is now wearing the infamous crown as one of the staunchest defenders of the atrocious killings and maiming of Nigerians, especially Christians under the present administration.

“It is unfortunate for the presidential spokesperson to make himself the stumbling stone each time CAN raises and re-echoes godly concerns of Nigerian Christians over the obvious strategic state policy of persecution. Why? Adesina is not a lone ranger among the handful Christians appointed by the President. We are not unaware of the spoilers and betrayal roles some of them are playing in the corridors of power.

“As an elder of his church, do we need to remind him and his co- travellers that when Mordecai foresaw the genocidal plan of Hamaan against the people of God, he did not turn a blind eye to it or pretend as if all was well but instead alerted his niece, the Queen, Esther, who today would have been called the First Lady.

“The duo not only rose up against the plot but ensured the ungodly verdict was reversed but the mastermind was made to face the consequences. But Adesina does not have time to study the Book of Esther otherwise we would have advised him to learn from Mordecai.”

The groups said CAN’s demand that “ the leadership of the security outfits” should overhauled was not new, saying the President of Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou, sacked his service chiefs when 89 soldiers were killed by terrorists this month.

The statement added, “If he ( Adesina) is shy, afraid or too ignorant to defend or sympathise with Christian brethren whose blood flows in the North-East, Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna, he should keep quiet. He should not allow the lucre of office to becloud his sense of godly judgement.”