The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed surprise over the continued stay of National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and Minsiter of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Gasau (rtd), in government despite the worsening Boko Haram crisis.

CAN in a statement issued today in Abuja and signed by the General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, argued that President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Dasuki, a Muslim, to replace late Gen. Owoeye Azazi, a Christian who was summarily dismissed in June 2012, and later appointed another Muslim, Gasau, as Defence Minister with a pledge to deal ruthlessly with the Boko Harām Islamic terrorists.

CAN noted that the major task handed down to Col. Dasuki and Gen. Gusau was to tackle Boko Haram insurgency, which was already threatening to spread into other regions of the country. According to the association, the question in the lips of every Nigerian Christians today is: “What changes have these two military tacticians brought to bear since they were appointed? What is the wisdom of entrusting the nation’s security in the hands of two relations from the North West? Why have these two relations from Sokoto and Zamfara states not changed their tactics in accordance with the presidential mandate given to them to root out the insurgents in the North East geo-political zone? Is this a game plan to eliminate people in that region and put them in perpetual subjugation?”

Rev. Asake declared Nigerian Christians are no longer comfortable with the continued inclusion of Sambo and Gusau in the cabinet even as the Islamic terrorists have not only changed tactics severally but have conquered more territories and established more caliphates in the North East during their regime than at any other period.

CAN therefore wondered why the NSA and the Defence Minister have not voluntarily resigned their appointments for poor coordination of relevant agencies to tackle the security challenges in the North East region of the country despite the huge budgetary allocations for the purpose.

According to the CAN scribe, the Federal Government should do well to explain to the nation the sins committed by late Aziza, asking: “Was he sacked because of his Christian religion and to satisfy the cravings of his Muslim counterparts?”

CAN condemned recent violent attacks by Boko Haram on innocent Christian civilians, police stations, prisons and military formations in different parts of Adamawa and Gombe states.

While the attack in Adamawa State was said to have also affected civilians, police stations, prisons and military formations in different parts of the state, the bomb explosion at the Gombe Motor Park was said to have killed over 30 persons and left several others injured.

Rev. Asake maintained that the recent happenings in the North East part of the country had avidly confirmed CAN’s position all along that the Islamic group has no other mission than to annihilate all Christians in the region and install an Islamic regime.

He Asake stated that apart from the military infrastructure that were torched by the terrorist group, Ekklesiyar Yan’uaw a Nigeria (EYN), the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, other churches as well as individuals targeted for destruction were all Christians and their places of worship.

•Photo shows Gen. Gusau and Col. Dasuki.