Anglican Bishops in the country have lamented the spate of attacks by armed herdsmen in the country with a call on President Muhammadu Buhari to proscribe them as they pose a terrorist group.
The Bishops accused the Federal Government of embarking on a “selective prosecution” in its anti-corruption fight, noting that the All Progressives Congress, APC, led Federal Government was “fighting a set of people while those with corruption charges against them are treated as saints.”
They made their position in a communique by Revd. Edafe Emamezi, Bishop, Diocese of Western Izon at the end of the first session of the 4th synod of the Diocese of Western Izon (Anglican Communion) held at St. Peter’s Church Bomadi, Delta State.
The clergy men also tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure it leaves up to expectation by conducting a free, fair and credible election during the 2019 general election.
They said: “Synod notes with dismay that while the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has been proscribed as a terrorist group and been hunted down by the security outfit along with the Niger Delta militants, the killer herdsmen and their sponsors have been allowed free access to unleash terror killing many Nigerians in the process.
“Synod therefore, calls on those concerned to balance the equation by also proscribing the killer herdsmen as a terrorist group.
“We also appreciate with gratitude the government’s fight against corruption but cautions that the approach in dealing with the menace should not be selective as it has been observed in some cases and also the rule of law should be followed.”
Speaking further on the position of the church, Rev. Emma Okereke lamented that while Boko Haram and herdsmen have been declared a terrorist organisation, the government went ahead to proscribe IPOB and other groups in the country, which are agitating for their rights as terrorist organisations.
He said: “We expect the Federal Government to take a stand on the killings by herdsmen so that everybody will see that they are not in support of their activities because as it stands, it looks like the government is shielding the herdsmen.
“We want the government to make a categorical statement on them (herdsmen) and we are yet to see them do that to show that they are not in support of the killings by herdsmen.”
On the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government, Okereke said: “From what we have seen so far, it looks like it is selective. People with corruption cases with the EFCC become saints once they defect to the ruling party and nobody can fight corruption in that manner.
“We want corruption fought, the church and the Bible are against it but government cannot be seen fighting only one set of people while others whom are corrupt in their camp are treated as saints.
“EFCC should spread its dragnet and we do not want to know if it is on party A or B, but for now, the position of the Bishops is that, it is selective and we are not in support of it.”
