Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Thursday urged the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) to call their members who are violent to order.
The President, CAN, Dr Samson Ayokunle, who made the call at a news conference in Abuja, said until they were called to order they cannot regain the trust and respect of Nigerians.
The cleric explained that nobody hates the Fulani until some Fulani began to act violently and killing innocent people.
CAN said that if there was any enemy from any Fulani man, the Fulani man created the enemy for himself, they have been living peacefully for many years in our various communities, till the killing issues started.
”In those days, our children married them, they married our children, but when they became too violent and started carrying AK47, killing people, what type of play is that? that’s a dangerous play.
”We can no longer think we are friends with that type of play it’s too dangerous, so let them call their people to order and ensure that they remove the enmity they have created around an average Fulani person,” he said.
He challenged their leaders to call out the violent ones among them to order, that is the only way people will respect them and people can trust them again.
Ayokunle also charged the government to step up its security system across the country with a view to stopping the unending killings.
He further said that the association had taken it stands in the alleged rape case against the founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor Abiodun Fatoyinbo.
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He noted that the allegation no matter how bad it may be, remains an allegation until proven otherwise, that is until it is properly investigated and we have a truth to hold onto.
”We have told you without mincing words that we will never support immorality in whatever form, it is alien to the culture of the church, to the teachings of Christ.
”And there is no pulpit that I know in Nigeria that the members are taught immorality, but we will not condemn until we have reasons to condemn, let the panel come out with the result let’s know what the truth is.
”I told you in the press release we issued that we have given the right to Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), because we don’t deal with individual churches, we deal with blocs.
”We have directed PFN, an arm of a bloc, which is also large enough to investigate that matter. I am telling you under God that PFN has set up that panel and that panel had been given two weeks within which to submit its report,
”Not only that, the two individuals involved have been invited by the committee and we are assuring them that nothing will be covered,” he said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
