CAN calls for national, international protests against lynching, burning of Deborah Samuel

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for a nationwide and international peaceful protests on May 22, 2022 over the gruesome lynching and burning of Deborah Yakubu Samuel, a 200 level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto last Thursday.

CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle called for the protest, according to a letter signed by its General Secretary, Joseph Bade Daramola and titled ‘A Request for Nationwide Peaceful Protests, Calling for Justice for Deborah Yakubu’.

The letter directs all Christians including those living in the diaspora to gather on the 22nd of May, 2022 for a peaceful protest.

It reads in part; “I have been directed by the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev. Dr Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle, to request all Church Leaders, through your various Churches to organise a peaceful protest in honour of one of our daughters, DEBORAH YAKUBU, who was gruesomely murdered on Thursday, 12 May 2022, at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, in Sokoto State by some Islamic extremists.

“The protest will take place on 22 May 2022 in the afternoon by 3:00 pm in every Secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) nationwide and not on the streets in order to avoid further loss of lives. Those without CAN’s Secretariat may use any church with big premises.

“We are to hold placards with some succinct message like “WE DEMAND JUSTICE 4 DEBORAH,” “NO MORE KILLING IN GOD’S NAME”, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” “POLICE, STOP UNPROVOKED KILLINGS IN NIGERIA,” “CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS,” “KILLERS OF DEBORAH MUST BE PROSECUTED,” “WE CONDEMN RELIGIOUS KILLINGS,” “WE SAY NO TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS.”

“We urge those who could afford it to make use of the traditional media and the social media and others can use only the social media to give it wide coverage in order to sensitise the whole world.

“We also call on Nigerian Christians in the diaspora to join us using our embassies all over the world.

“The occasion can also be used to pray for Deborah’s family and friends, peace for the country, victory for the Church and godly political leaders in the coming general election.

“Thanks and God bless You all” it concluded.