The Northern Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared that it would not pull out of the parent body to form a different association.

The decision was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its one-day maiden meeting held in Jos, Plateau State.

In a statement dated 26 August, 2016 and signed by Northern CAN Chairman, Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam, and PRO, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, the delegates, drawn from all the Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory also resolved that nobody or group apart from the Northern CAN Chairman or its Public Relations Officer should speak or issue a statement on behalf of Northern CAN henceforth.

The delegates condemned in its totality the recent killings and religious radicalism that was displayed at Zamfara College of Education by some students of Islamic faith and called on government to ensure Christian students at secondary and higher institutions in the North are given full protection from any form of molestation.

Delegates to the conference resolved that Northern Governors as Chief Security Officers of their respective states should ensure that Christians in their states are not intimidated, molested or killed by religious fanatics under any guise.

They also expressed reservation over the recent visit of the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry to Nigeria, during which he excluded Christian leaders from meeting with him but rather chose to make Sokoto his first port of call where he met with the Sultan and select Northern Governors.

The Christian leaders in the North called on the unemployed youths in the North to go into farming rather than wait endlessly for white collar jobs that are unavailable.

Furthermore, they advised the Federal Government to do all it can to bring lasting peace to the North-east region to enable Internally Displaced People (IDPs) return to their homes. The group condemned in strong terms, under age marriages, abductions in some Northern states.

The Northern CAN leaders also frowned at ongoing land grabbing in some states in the North by some persons or group bent on causing crises in the region, advising government to halt activities of these group of persons. The church leaders did not rise without condemning cases of corruption at high and low places in the country, suggesting that those in position of authority should use their offices to better the lot of the people of Nigeria.

•Photo shows CAN President Samson Ayokunle.

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