UK acting high commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Atkinson, has condemned the execution of the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa State, Rev. Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram terrorists.
In a message posted on his twitter handle, Atkinson described the killing as “terrible” and “awful crime.”
“Terrible to read the news of the execution of Rev Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram.
“I utterly condemn such an awful crime and offer my deepest sympathy to his family and congregation,” he tweeted.
For his part, the president of CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, berated the federal government for failure to stand up for the deceased and many other Christians killed by the insurgents recently.
He said he had lost hope in the government’s ability to protect Nigerians, especially,Christians.
“The Church did everything within her reach to secure the safe release of this pastor gentleman but it was not possible because they didn’t have the military power to do so.
“Just last Sunday, a clergyman, Rev Denis Bagauri was murdered by unknown gunmen in his residence at Mayo Belwa of Adamawa State.
“The Church views the unabated kidnappings, extortion and killings of Christians and innocent Nigerians as shameful to the government that each time boasts that it has conquered insurgency,” he said.
The former vice president and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 presidential election, Mr. Atiku Abubakar, reacted saying: “This development saddens me. There’s a compelling need to re-calibrate our security architecture. I sympathize with the family of Pastor Lawan Andimi and the entire body of CAN in Nigeria. May the soul of the deceased rest in peace.”
In his reaction, President Muhammadu Buhari described the act as “cruel”, “inhuman” and “deliberately provocative.”
The president’s media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu said in a statement: “President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the terrorist killing of Lawan Andimi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa, describing it as cruel, inhuman and deliberately provocative.
“President Buhari regretted that the terrorists killed the religious leader while giving signals of a willingness to set him free by releasing him to third parties.
“He consoled the Christian community all over Nigeria, the government and people of Adamawa as well as the Bishop’s family over the sad loss of the man of God.
He said the terrorists would continue to pay a heavy price for their actions and would “comprehensively be defeated by our determined armed forces.”
“The president urged nations of the world to end all support provided to the Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups whose only goal was to sow death, violence, and destruction in the sub-region,” Shehu added.
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) also condemned the killing saying it is a sad and disturbing event.
The chairman of the forum and governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, made the condemnation on behalf of the forum, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Jos by his director of press and public affairs, Mr. Makut Macham.
Lalong also described the killing as an “inhumane act” adding that Boko Haram is bent on unleashing sorrow in the country.
He commiserated with the family of the deceased, the church and people of Adamawa State over the loss and uregd them not to allow the incident to affect their faith in God.
He also appealed to them not to allow the loss to deter their love for humanity and create hatred among Nigerians.
He added that forum remained united in supporting security agencies to put an end not only to terrorism, but all forms of criminality that threaten the unity of the country along ethnic, religious or political lines.
The clergyman who was abducted on January 3 by members the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), after an attack on Michika town, was announced killed on Monday by his abductors.
A Nigerian journalist, Mr. Ahmad Salkida who has maintained contacts with Boko Haram, broke the news on his Twitter handle Tuesday.
Andimi was last seen alive in a video clip shared online by his abductors two weeks ago.
In the video, he was heard saying that his abductors were nice to him.
He appeared calm and sounded hopeful that he would regain his freedom.
“They didn’t do anything wrong to me. I believe God who allows them to act in this way is still alive, and by the grace of God He will still make arrangement for my release…by the grace of God I will soon be together with my wife, my children, and my colleagues, but the opportunity has not been granted yet,” he said in the shared video that went viral.
