End Boko Haram This Year, Cleric Tells Buhari

The Lutheran Church of Nigeria (LCN) has challenged the President Muhammandu Buhari-led federal government to live up to it promises of ending all forms of insurgency in the country before the end of 2015.

The church while expressing grave concern over the increasing spate of secessionist protest by the youth in different parts of the country in recent days, has however appealed to such aggrieved groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualisation of the Survival of Sovereign  State of Biafra (MASSOB) and others to toe the path of peace and employ intellectual dialogue to resolve their grievances for the sake of unity and progress of the nation.

In its official statement delivered by its national president,

Archbishop Christian Ekong? at the end of its 36^th Regular Council held on 20 – 22 November, 2015 at the church’s national  headquarters in Obot  Idim, Akwa Ibom State, the church said it observed “with great grief the continuous premeditated murder of innocent Nigerians in the northern part of Nigeria by Boko Haram terrorist group.”

 While congratulating President Muhammadu Buhari and other elected and appointed officials of government at all levels, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria however “ implored such officials to work conscientiously to reduce poverty and unemployment especially among the youth in line with their electioneering promises to the people.

“Since corruption has been seen as the bane of our socio-economic development, the church asked government,  security agencies, organisations, especially religious organisation and individuals to put in more serious and unbiased efforts to eradicate the malaise in all facets our public and private life.

The Church said it encourages Christians, especially, Lutheran faithful, to take more interest in seeking leadership positions at all levels of government, hut advised them to let the virtues of their faith create positive impact while serving in such positions.

It asked government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector by immediately restructuring and adequately funding the system so as to help the nation produce employers of labour instead of the present standard of churning out millions of job seekers and sometimes unemployable youths every year.

 In its review of the 2015 general elections, the church saluted the statesmanship of the immediate past president , Dr Goodluck Jonathan “for conceding defeat even before the conclusion of the elections;” saying “his sacrifice for the peace of this nation is greatly commendable.