The Christian Press Association of Nigeria on Friday said the killing of the chapter chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Adamawa State, Lawan Adinmi, was the highpoint of the recent bloodletting by the monstrous Boko Haram group.

The CPAN, in a statement on Friday, tagged; FG and CAN: Our position, noted that CAN’s critical comment on the state of insecurity which elicited reactions from the cross-sections of Nigerians did not get the desired responses from Federal Government.

It wondered why the Federal Government kept alleging that it had defeated the terrorist Boko Haram whereas the group was still unleashing terror in the country.

The statement read in part, “In the last two months, the Buhari government and the Christian Association of Nigeria have been throwing brickbats at one another. Starting from December 2019 when Boko Haram announced the decapitation of 11 people, and the subsequent killings of some people by the evil body CAN have been talking tough.

“And not only CAN, every concerned Nigerian has been lending their voice to the atrocious actions of the technically defeated terrorist group. The killing of Rev Lawan Andimi, Chairman of CAN in the Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State is perhaps the highpoint of the recent bloodletting by the monstrous group.

“Some seem aghast that a technically defeated group could still be this visible and effective in trailing lives and asking for ransom. We are taken aback that a government that said Boko Haram has been technically defeated after about three years of giving such assurance is now talking about a comprehensive defeat.

“The truth is that whether comprehensive defeat or technical defeat nobody is certain of the state of the Boko Haram phenomenon in Nigeria.

“And everybody has a right to be annoyed with President Buhari because he rode to power on the horse of insecurity in the land. And indeed many fell for the trap. Being a general in the army, some had thought his coming to the government will mark the end of the insurgents.”

The CPAN said CAN had every right to make statements and make insinuations, adding “and we think the honourable thing for the Federal Government to do is to explain to the public and tell us the steps being taken to protect lives and properties.”

It lambasted the presidential spokesperson, Mr Femi Adesina, over his response on issues raised by CAN.

“While we still hold Mr Femi Adesina, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari in high esteem, we feel uncomfortable with his attack on CAN for making its grievances known. Our nation cannot progress if we continue to play the ostrich during critical situations.

“We hold the view that Adesina’s outburst in his debut Friday online column that CAN was wrong in expressing its views and misgivings was in bad taste and condemnable. That column was ill-timed and has only helped to aggravate the already tense situations.

“We hope Mr Adesina will be able to see the reasons why he needed to be cautious in the future while offering an opinion on such a sensitive national issue. We pray that the Lord will give us understanding as we all work for the progress of Nigeria,” it added.