By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has condemned the kidnap of Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika, Adamawa State, Mr Lawan Andimi.
In a statement released yesterday, the right group blamed the Boko Haram/Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) and withdrawal of 1,200 Chadian troops meant to be supporting the counter-insurgency efforts for the abduction.
The Director of Communication and Strategy, Roland Okupe, bemoaned the development, describing it as another demonic plot by the terrorists to whip up sectarian anger targeted at breaking Nigeria up along religious lines.
The statement reads, “Nigerians and the rest of the world to the fact that Boko Haram/ISWAP are now pursuing the last leg of their agenda which is to target people of a particular religious group for evil as to portray Nigeria and the government as an ineffective in tackling the scourge of terrorism.”
The Centre, therefore, appealed to Nigerians not to fall for this ploy by ensuring that they take holistic views of issues relating to the new wave of attacks by these terrorists.
‘’We appeal to Nigerians not to fall for this ploy by ensuring that they take wholistic views of issues relating to the new wave of attacks by these terrorists who now seem fixated on causing sectarian provocations in the hope that the strategy will help them destabilize Nigeria.
‘’Such strategy could only have been arrived upon by the terrorists after review of their persistent recent failings and losses to the Nigerian Military that have ensured that they no longer have free reign to torment innocent Nigerians.’’
While demanding that Boko Haram/ISWAP immediately release Andimi and any other abducted Christian, the group urged “the military and other security agencies not to leave any stone unturned in bringing perpetrators of the act to justice”.
Meanwhile, CALSER has noted with disappointment the decision by the authorities of the Republic of Chad to pull out the country’s 1,200 troops that were meant to be supporting the counter-insurgency efforts in Nigeria.
‘’In our view, the Chadian troops withdrawal is hasty, poorly thought out and badly timed. The withdrawal should have been put on hold considering other world occurrences with geo-strategic consequences for the counter-insurgency efforts in the lake Chad Basin. There has also been injection of logistic support for the terrorists reportedly by Chad’s colonial boss, France, which would have necessitated that the withdrawal be delayed until the region becomes more stable.
‘’ The troops withdrawal if the face of glaring persuasion to the contrary is another conspiracy by France and their allies to further expose the people of north east Nigeria to harm consistent with Boko Haram/ISWAP agenda to destabilize Africa, which they have unfortunately sanctioned,’’ it concluded.
