The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has called on the Federal Government to ensure fairness and inclusivity in political appointments, saying that perceived imbalances could deepen national tensions.

National Secretary of YOWICAN, Bako Adashu Elijah, made the call yesterday during the CRC–N National Youth Fellowship Convention in Donga Local Government Area of Taraba State.

“There must be fairness and balance in the political system — no region or faith should dominate others unjustly. Especially the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket; we demand Christian inclusion at this critical time”, he stated.

He decried the persistent targeted attacks on communities across Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kaduna and parts of Adamawa and Sokoto, accusing the government of failing in its constitutional responsibility to protect citizens.

Citing Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, Elijah said the prevailing insecurity has shown a widening gap between constitutional provisions and reality.

Elijah said the Christian youths were worried that while communities were being attacked and citizens killed or displaced, individuals who openly engage with or speak in defence of armed groups continue to move freely without consequence.

He said: “When the Governor of Zamfara State publicly admitted that these bandits are known individuals among us, what did the government do? The silence is both troubling and telling.

“If the Nigerian government cannot protect its citizens, then why should it prevent other nations or international allies from assisting in the fight against terrorism?

“We demand that the government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu immediately arrest and prosecute the controversial Islamic clerics Yahaya Gingril and Sheikh Gumi Ahmed for their provocative statements and inhuman pronouncements against Christian faithful innocent citizens for political convenience,” he said.

He said thousands of families displaced from Ussa, Yagtu, and Takum in Taraba, as well as parts of Southern Kaduna and Benue, remain without shelter and support.

He also reiterated concerns over the continued captivity of Leah Sharibu and the killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto without the prosecution of the perpetrators.

“When the President of the United States made reference to terrorism and genocide in Nigeria, many of our leaders responded defensively rather than introspectively. We must ask: do we truly understand what he is saying? His statement is not an attack on our sovereignty but a wake-up call to a government that seems to have lost grip on its primary responsibility.

“If America says it will stand against terrorism, why are we shouting or protesting? Is that not the very thing we’ve been praying for, for God to raise voices and nations to defend the defenseless? The issue is not about foreign interference; it is about truth and justice, the same values upon which any just society must stand.” (The Guardian)