The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has warned state governments and concerned authorities scheming to stop prayers and assembly devotion in primary and secondary schools across the country to have a rethink because such thoughts were “evil and must not prevail.”
The association however commended Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, for reversing what it described “a wrong directive of an ambitious Permanent Secretary on this matter” and advised other state governments “involved in this ungodly directive” to take a cue.
According to CAN, implementing the suggestion for the establishment of grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen in all parts of the country portends “very grave danger to our national peace and security.”
A statement signed by its General Secretary, Rev. (Dr) Musa Asake, on Sunday at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) held in Abuja stated that “as a major stakeholder in the Nigeria project, we wish to observe it received with great concern the news that some state authorities have either banned Assembly devotion in Primary and Secondary Schools or are contemplating doing so.
“This new trend is evil and must not prevail. While the society is working hard to inculcate good moral values in our children at this tender age through Assembly devotion in our Schools so that they can grow up to be good citizens, government policies like this will certainly draw the society several years back in moral decadence.”
CAN said that the fear of bomb attack or any such danger being given by some state authorities as the reason(s) for school children not to gather in prayer and learning is grossly misplaced and untenable.
It insisted that government should provide adequate security where there are concerns of this nature.
It commended Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade for “reversing a wrong directive of an ambitious Permanent Secretary on this matter and advise other State Authorities involved in this ungodly directive to take a cue.”
It also said that the on-going national discussion over establishment of grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen in all parts of the country, if implemented, portends very grave danger to national peace and security.
CAN stressed that it is common knowledge that the herdsmen, under the guise of cattle grazing have caused fatal incidents in many parts of Nigeria currently.
“They have been associated with violent deaths, lethal injuries, kidnap cases, rape cases and destruction of properties, food crops, etc, in their host communities.
“They have transformed from herdsmen to mercenaries and armed bandits. They have converted the farmlands of their host communities into slaughter farms. This is unacceptable and should be a cause of great concern to the Federal Government and well-meaning Nigerians.|
As a way forward, CAN suggests that the Federal Government should encourage the State Governments where the herdsmen are predominant to establish modern ranches for them, rather than allowing them to cause problem in other parts of the country.
Establishing modern ranches for nomads, according to CAN, is a worldwide standard best practice, stating that this will be of immense benefit to the herdsmen and their families.
“The ranches will have schools, hospitals and other social amenities. The meat and other products from these ranches will be exported to other parts of the country, thus creating lucrative business and employment for the citizenry.
“The idea of acquiring parcels of land in the 36 States of Nigeria and FCT for the sole purpose of providing grazing area for the nomads and their herds of cattle should be dropped in the overall interest of national security,” CAN stressed.
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