CAN President Ayokunle: U.S. supporting Nigerian Muslims against Christians, says ‘Kerry’s visit has further divided Nigeria’

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Supo Ayokunle, has raised the alarm over the open display of affinity to Nigerian Muslims by the United States (U.S.) Government.
While reacting to the recent visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, President Muhammadu Buhari and some selected Northern governors, Ayokunle said it was a shame such a visit eventually became a flop because of its bias nature.
Ayokunle said: “There is a siege on Christians. Kerry, his actions speak volume, his actions, body language were very divisive. If the U.S. Secretary of States is coming for official visit, it’s understandable, but we demand explanation why he was selective. Has the Sultan Palace become another State House? Was Kerry invited by the Sultan?
“We have 36 states in Nigeria. He only selected northern governors to meet with them. It was a visit to the North, not to Nigeria. It was surely a very divisive visit. With the visit to the North, Kerry’s visit has heightened fear and tension among Christians in Nigeria. If they cannot bring us together, they should not interfere in our affairs. The visit was discriminatory, personal and divisive”.
To Ayokunle, Kerry’s lack of respect to the heterogeneous nature of Nigeria “amounts to favouring Northern Nigeria and Muslims against the Christian community.
“Why did he meet with some Northern governors without southern governors? Does Nigeria belong to the North alone?”
Ayokunle also has harsh words for some security agencies on persecution of Christians, saying obviously, the Buhari administration is anti-Christian.
“Has DSS operatives arrested the Muslim youths who burnt down a Catholic Church in Niger State because they were worshiping on Friday? What happened to the ECWA Pastor who was killed in his farm in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State? What has happened with the Redeemed preacher who was murdered in Kubwa, Abuja?
“Look at the recent case in Zamfara State, Christians were burnt alive. What has happened? They will tell you, they are still investigating. Have the perpetrators been arrested and charged them to court? If the government cannot sit up and protect Christians, tolerance is going to break down, they should do the right thing, they should not provoke Christians. Have we ever seen this government bring anybody to book?”
The CAN president tasked Buhari “to come out clean”, adding that, “a government that doesn’t listen is not for the people.”
He maintained that while the DSS and the Police have been slow in arresting extremists killing Christians in the country, they have been fast persecuting Christians.
Ayokunle, the head of the Baptist Convention in Nigeria, called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the case of Mr Joe Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’.
He argued that naming an animal with somebody’s name is never a criminal offence.
“The NBA should take up that case and ascertain whether the man has the right to give any name to a dog. They should come and protect the man’s human rights and set the record why the case is not a criminal offence”.