Chairman of the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor John Joseph Hayab has described the Friday abduction of eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God as most unfortunate.
He said also that the government has not shown any sign of seriousness about security issues in the country, particularly in Kaduna State.
Hayab who spoke with Church Times correspondent on the phone at about 4.30 PM on Saturday, March 27 said issues about securing their release are things that would rather be kept away from the media because the bandits are also monitoring news and getting information from what is discussed in the public.
He however expressed more disappointment about the government of the state saying Kaduna state has been a security risk for many years without concrete steps being taken by the government.
While calling on Christians to intensify prayers and be watchful, Hayab said the church has been crying for long on the issue of insecurity in the state.
“Initially government thought we were just making some unfounded allegations, but over the years they have come to realise the enormity of what we were saying. Hundreds of citizens of the state have been victims of these bandits, yet no visible action is being taken by the government.”
He said government does more talking than taking action adding also that when there are arrests of suspects, there are no convincing evidence that the arrested suspects are linked to the crime they say they commit.
He said it is worrisome for Christians particularly because according to him it will be difficult for the Church to do evangelism.
“People can no longer move around and hold programmes as we used to. That is where this issue becomes a serious one for the church. Nobody is safe. Unfortunately, there is a lot of talking and less of action from the government,” he said.
On the RCCG 8, he said, ‘we just have to do what we want to do to secure their release quietly. We can’t make it a media issue because whatever we say will be used by the abductors.
‘All we can do now is to continue to call on God and plead with the government to stop paying lip service to security issues.”
The Public Relations officer of the Church in Kaduna province, Alao Joseph told Journalists according to reports in some online media that the bandits who kidnapped the church members along Kachia Road had gotten in touch with the church authority and are asking for a ransom of N50m.