CAN Condemns Attacks On Churches In Akwa Ibom

The Christians Association of Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State has condemned
attacks on some churches in Uyo, the state capital.

Hoodlums on Thursday set ablaze the altar of The Apostolic Church,
along Information Drive; Mount Zion Gospel Church, along Aka Itiam;
The Apostolic Church along Bassey Esau Street, and Salvation Army
Church, destroying pastoral seats, musical instrument, pulpits, among
others.

The CAN state chairman, Rev. Nduoso Ekwere, said on Sunday that he
would not directly pass the blame on the outsiders as such attacks
usually involve insiders..

Ekwere, who described the attacks as abominable, called on the
security agencies in the state to identify those behind the burning of
the church items.

He added that those who perpetrated the act would not go unpunished.

“I personally had to drive round the Uyo metropolis to look for the
churches in which items had been burnt. I have personally seen those
things, and they range from musical instrument, pastoral seats in the
church to pulpits. They were completely burnt down.

“There is no evil that will go unpunished. I do not want to suspect
much of the outsiders. I want to believe that nothing happens without
an insider and, if there is anybody in this state or in this
metropolis that is linking him or herself to such devilish
destruction, such individual should know that the destruction of
church property is a serious abomination.”

He said he and other church leaders were praying for the perpetrators
to repent and advised churches to be vigilant and make appropriate
security arrangements.

Also, Ekwere said CAN would investigate the whereabouts of N100m that
the former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, gave to the
association to build a secretariat.

He said, “The Akwa Ibom State government under Godswill Akpabio, gave
CAN N100m to build a secretariat. I will say as I am seated here,
nothing known as a structure has been raised, but we know that the
money had been given.

“We received some papers during the handing over; we want to a settle
down and go through the papers to know how the money was used and for
what purpose?”


 Etim Ekpimah, Uyo