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From 2nd to 20th of January 2025, the Boko Haram militia launched repeated attacks on Chibok in Borno State. In the wake of the attacks, five Christian communities were displaced, abandoned by fleeing residents. Consequently, the tense atmosphere hindered the Lay Faithful Trust Foundation from providing relief to the people of Chibok. In March, our members made plans for a humanitarian effort to the Christians under siege. This support initiative eventually took off in early April.

On 1st January 2025, the Fulani militia attacked Unguwar Rogo in Kajuru LGA of Southern Kaduna. They rode in on about 30 motorcycles, each carrying three terrorists. Fortunately, the defenceless Christian villagers heard them coming and fled for their lives, narrowly avoiding yet another massacre. Unable to hunt them down, the Fulani terrorists instead emptied magazines of bullets directly into homes and buildings, damaging their interiors. Not finding any people - they took to burning and vandalising 37 houses.

Umogidi Itekpa, a Christian community in Benue state, was attacked by Fulani herdsmen in an unprovoked assault in 2024. The attacks follow a repeated pattern by the Fulani militia against the indigenous Christian ethnic nationalities in Benue state. This assault left 34 people dead and four in intensive treatment from fatal wounds. At the same time, over 130 houses were either burnt or vandalized. As the dust settled from the latest barbaric attack by the Fulanis, thirty wives realized their husbands were no more. They were widows.

Lay Faithful Trust Foundation conducted phase 3 of its food and clothes relief distribution to IDP camps in Maiduguri. Due to funding constraints, all the eight IDP camps in Maiduguri could not be ministered to at the same time. Therefore, an arrangement was made to visit the camps in phases.

The third phase of the relief distribution covered Gedo 1, Gedo 2, and Holy Trinity & C.A.C. IDP camps. We delivered food and clothes to the persecuted brethren. At the same time, fifty-two widows received cash gifts of N5,000 each. In all, 554 families received food support.

While we distributed food to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Jobbore and Unguwan Hona IDP camps in Girei LGA, Adamawa state, a crowd of people who saw the relief truck followed it into the distribution centre. Every attempt to get them to leave proved abortive. Some pleaded for just a cup of Garri. Our team informed an elderly man that the food was for the IDPs.

National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) wishes to felicitate with Nigerians for the grace to enter another year peacefully. We thank God for His sustaining grace and mercy upon us as a country.
As we commence another year, NCEF wishes to highlight certain issues for the consideration of the Federal Government in the overall interest of Nigeria and its citizens.

CSMN Cordially invites all Christians to its EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Theme: THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN NATION BUILDING
Date: Tue. 3rd December 2024
Time: 4.00 pm (Nigeria Time)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Wednesday 28th August 2024

COMMUNIQUE

In compliance with Article 10a-b of the Constitution of Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) and backed by the resolution of National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), a virtual General Assembly of Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) was convened and successfully held on Wednesday 28th August 2024.
Below are the highlights of the General Assembly.

As we present the report of the recent food relief to Christian IDPs in Yola, Adamawa state, the Lay Faithful Trust Foundation wishes to express gratitude to the brethren who selflessly donate to support Christian IDPs. They are the real heroes of this Christian intervention. The sacrificial giving of the brethren in this season of serious economic challenges is the miracle we witness whenever we go to the field. God bless you and reward you abundantly.

There are eight (8) Christian Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri. Following the various food and education support projects of the Lay Faithful Trust Foundation (LFTF) at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Centre and Shuwari IDP camps in Maiduguri, LFTF moved to another set of IDP camps within the city.

In the current exercise, the Lay Faithful Trust Foundation conducted a food relief project at the following IDP camps in July 2024:

▪️Cherubim and Seraphim Church IDP camp

The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent and necessary measures, including the adoption of the draft Constitution of the 2014 National Conference, to avert the proposed nationwide protest from August 1 to 10, 2024, being called by a “faceless group.”

The position of the Forum was contained in a statement on the state of the nation entitled “In the Multitude of Counsellors, there is safety,” signed by the Chairman, Dr Samuel Danjuma Gani, and made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

“Recently, a faceless group in the country is calling people to a nationwide protest from August 1 to 10, 2024. While the group rightly lists several demands that would enhance good governance, the protest itself should be viewed with seriousness.

“For one, the unknown organisers wish to replicate the protest that took place recently in Kenya.

“However, the situation in Kenya is different from that in Nigeria. There are too many aggrieved groups in Nigeria for anyone to toy with the idea of a national protest.

“Either the country would implode or the protesters would be massacred by overly enthusiastic security forces.

“The memory of the ENDSARS bloodshed is still fresh in our memories. As elders, we do not support any action that might lead to the loss of lives or the destruction of national assets and individual properties.

“Under the circumstances, we advocate that the government must change its approach to governance and restore hope and confidence in the people,” the statement noted.

The Forum identified four critical areas, among many others, that the Tinubu administration should focus attention on in a bid to halt the downward spiral of the country, which, if not checked, might result in an implosion in the near future.

The four critical areas, according to the statement by the Christian Elders, are the imperative of a new constitution for Nigeria; a credible fight against corruption; independence of the judiciary and restoration of judicial integrity; and averting the proposed national protest planned for August 2024.

Gani noted that the position of the Forum was arrived at during its July 2024 meeting, where it reviewed the state of Nigeria and expressed concern about the condition of the people and the country.

“Undoubtedly, the current state of Nigeria calls for concern, as well as the contribution of all well-meaning citizens, to support the government in providing solutions to the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria.

“As part of their contribution to supporting the government, the Christian Elders resolved to provide counsel to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Federation,” the statement said.

Gani, in the statement, warned President Tinubu not to waste time on the task of rebooting the country, saying people are almost being driven to desperation and despondency.

He added that when people start thinking they have nothing to lose, whether they live or die, the country will be in a precarious situation.

According to him, the mere promise of the government that a new constitution would be in effect within a few months would calm a lot of frayed nerves in the country and restore hope and confidence in the people that Nigeria would not sink.

On the imperative of a new Constitution, the National Christian Elders Forum noted that at various times, and with varying degrees of intensity, many impartial and credible citizens have identified the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as a major impediment to Nigeria’s peace, progress, and prosperity.

The Forum noted that there had been a series of calls, at different forums, for Nigeria to adopt a credible constitution that would be developed by the people, adding that the authorship of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) has been a subject of controversy in the past 25 years.

It was observed that the challenge facing the government has been how to develop a new constitution, saying, however, that the task of producing a constitution is the responsibility of the ethnic nationalities.

“The National Christian Elders Forum proposes that, in view of the urgency to jump-start the economy and guarantee safety and prosperity for the citizens, the government should adopt the draft Constitution of the 2014 National Conference.

“That document could be a starting point, having been agreed upon by representatives of the various ethnic nationalities and participants from various sectors of the economy and society.

“Once it scales through the referendum, it becomes a valid constitution for “we the people.”. The beauty of this proposal is that no part of Nigeria can object since all the component parts of the country were represented at the National Conference and they unanimously approved the draft constitution.

“All it requires is validation by the people at a referendum.

“The National Christian Elders Forum urges the Tinubu Administration to give serious consideration to this counsel to avert a crisis looming over the horizon.

“Mr President, the first task of government is to instil hope and confidence in the citizens that their country will float and prosper. Presently, very few Nigerians have such confidence. The government must restore hope to the people.

“Mr. President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, we urge you to remember that power is transient.

“The positions you occupy today were held by different people yesterday, most of whom now regretfully wish they had done things differently.

“Fortunately, you can still do things right. We cannot continue to run Nigeria the way previous governments did and expect a better country. Mr. President, the streets are not smiling,” the Forum stated.

While emphasising the need to ensure a credible fight against corruption, the Christian Elders Forum decried a situation where the anti-graft agencies, including the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have become a tool to fight political opponents by the party in power.

“Undeniably, the military created a culture of corruption in Nigeria. This culture was made worse by the political class, which has erased any dividing line between the state treasury and their private purse,” Gani stated.

The statement noted that an area of increasing concern was the corruption in the Civil Service and amongst public officials, adding that if corruption is not tackled effectively at that level, no government could claim to succeed in fighting corruption.

“The most corrupt entities in Nigeria are government officials.

“The eight years of the Buhari administration rank as the most corrupt government ever witnessed in Nigeria,” the Forum stated.

According to the Forum, an effective fight against corruption in Nigeria must start with the Civil Service and the National Assembly, stressing that legislators who allocate to themselves humongous salaries and allowances for representing people who daily live in penury and poverty are the height of corruption.

“The National Christian Elders Forum advocates an independent EFCC that would be free from any political restraint in the discharge of its duties,” the statement added.

https://tribuneonlineng.com/christian-elders-forum-warns-tinubu-against-proposed-nationwide-protest/

Nigerian Tribune

 

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