Last night’s bomb attack at the Nyanya motor park on the outskirts of Abuja was intended “to demoralise and destabilise the Nigerian work force by putting fear in their minds,” President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said this afternoon in Abuja. He, however, told Nigerians: “We must not allow this to happen.”

Oritsejafor in a statement signed by the secretary general of CAN, Rev Musa Asake, said: “It is with shock and dismay that I received the news of last night bomb attack at the Nyanya motor park barely 15 days after the first attack on April 14. The news of the second attack is not only devastating but a sad day for our nation.”

Continuing, the CAN President said: “Like I have reiterated in recent times, terrorists or their sponsors must not be given the opportunity to prevail and I state categorically again, ‘evil cannot overwhelm good and darkness cannot prevail over light’. This is a known fact that I want all Nigerians to take to heart in these trying times.

“The forces of evil may have made inroads in one or two places but the collective good of the majority of Nigerians must and will always rise above the goal of the terrorists.

“Last night’s attack in Nyanya, the second in 15 days, is a clear indication of the terrorists motive which is to demoralise and destabilise the Nigerian work force by putting fear in their minds, we must not allow this to happen.

“At this moment I want to commiserate with the families of those who lost their lives and pray for speedy recovery for those injured, in the attack. This calls for more vigilance and caution by all citizens, let us not allow these acts of inhumanity to dampen our spirit of patriotism for our country, let us all rise against this monster.

“I once again call on those in charge of security to work harder to contain the situation while I call on relief organisations to see to the welfare of the victims.

“CAN on its part, will commit the country in the hands of God through prayers, to ensure that the situation is put under control, ours is to take this petition to God, we cannot carry guns and bombs to fight this battle but through prayers we shall win this battle.”

•Photo shows Pastor Oritsejafor.