CAN laments Nigerians’ hopeless situation during Yuletide

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CAN laments Nigerians’ hopeless situation during Yuletide

Nigerians do not have joy and hope for tomorrow with the challenges in the country for which the government does not have a solution, the Christian Association of Nigeria said on Thursday.

The President of CAN, Rev Samson Ayokunle, expressed this fear in his message titled, ‘Christmas: A season of hope, peace and joy’.

He said, “I rejoice with all Christians in Nigeria and of course all over the world at this season of Christmas; the season when God became man to live among us in order to redeem us from all our sins and eternal death. My prayer is that nothing will steal from your joy of this season in the name of Jesus Christ (John 1: 14).

“Let us remember that the devil is a deceiver and what we are passing through presently in Nigeria may not be what will cause us to rejoice!

“Of course, what we are currently passing through may not give anybody hope for tomorrow, humanly speaking, unless those in power are more decisive and God intervenes for us. We are experiencing insecurity everywhere, most especially, kidnapping, wanton killings and destructions of facilities here and there by the criminals in our midst, the insurgency in the North-East, the North West and the North-Central of Nigeria, just to mention a few are terrible things of great concern.

“They do not give us joy at all humanly speaking. However, we need to remember that part of the purpose of the birth of Jesus Christ is to give hope to the hopeless and deliver us from sin and those who hate us. He came to set the captives free.

“The Bible says in 1Peter 1: 3-4, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you’; Peter’s letter really was to a people who were hopeless, otherwise, he wouldn’t have attached hope in Christ to his message.

“My message to all Nigerians is to remain hopeful in Christ Jesus and rejoice in hope no matter what the situation we are passing through may be. Our Father God can turn all situations around in Christ Jesus because as God, He can do all things. He is our way-maker and he will make way for us in the name of Jesus.

“I urge you to receive Jesus as the Lord over your life today, share the message of the saving power of Jesus with others who do not know him and show love in a practical way to someone around you. Let us through the love of Christ embrace one another irrespective of religious, ethnic and political differences. Let us be reconciled to God and to one another.

“Let all the killings, the kidnapping of our fellow brothers and sisters, and all other acts of wickedness stop because God is going to judge these acts on the day of judgement.”

He added, “At this season of Christmas, I plead with those on the corridors of power to use it to bring relief and joy to the citizens of this country. It is the good you have done now that people will remember tomorrow. Please, let us lessen the pains of Nigerians by paying more attention to their well-being in the prompt payment of workers’ salaries and pensions to pensioners.”

Police deploy 5,325 personnel in Nasarawa

In a bid to ensure adequate security during the Christmas celebration, the Nasarawa State Police Command says it has deployed 5,325 personnel across the 13 local government areas of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Adesina Soyemi, made the disclosure in a statement made available to journalists by the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Ramhan Nansel, in Lafia on Thursday.

He explained that the police personnel were to cover highways, worship centres, recreational centres and government facilities, as well as to secure all residents of the state.

NSCDC deploys 2,277 personnel in A’Ibom, Anambra

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Akwa Ibom and Anambra states has deployed over 2,277 personnel to ensure a hitch-free Christmas and New Year celebrations in the states.

The Commandant of the NSCDC in Akwa Ibom, Mr Abidemi Majekodunmi, disclosed the deployment of 1,200 personnel in a statement on Thursday.

The statement added that the personnel had been deployed to guard critical government assets and infrastructure during the period.

The commandant enjoined residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any form of infraction and breach of the peace to the nearest security agency.

He also warned vandals to steer clear of critical national assets like oil pipelines, power installations, transformers and cables as those caught would end the year behind bars.

Similarly, the Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, NSCDC, Mr Okadigbo Edwin, assured people of the state of the corps’ readiness to perform its statutory function of protecting lives and properties as well as critical national assets and infrastructure during the yuletide, adding that 2,077 had been deployed for that purpose.

Edo warns against indiscriminate dumping of refuse

The Edo State Government has mobilised workers of its Ministry of Environment and Sustainability and the Waste Management Board to monitor the evacuation of waste in Benin metropolis throughout this festive period.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Lucky Wasa, warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of waste in public places across the state.

The statement read in part, “It is hereby announced for the information of the general public that the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability has mobilised staff of the ministry and Waste Management Board to monitor the evacuation of waste in Benin metropolis throughout this festive period.

“Similarly, waste managers have been placed on alert to ensure speedy evacuation of wastes in their various zones.

“The ministry hereby solicits the cooperation of members of the public to stop indiscriminate dumping of waste in public places both day and night, and support the government to actualise the clean-up exercise.”