Christian Association Leaders Visit Borno Blast Victims, Pray Against Insurgency

A delegation of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State Chapter led by its chairman, Most Rev  John Bogna Bakeni, has visited victims of the recent bomb blasts in Maiduguri and prayed for them .

The blasts which were carried out by suicide bombers on March 16 at the Maiduguri Monday Market, the Post Office area and the entrance gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) claimed over 28 lives and left several others injured.

During the visit yesterday to the victims undergoing treatment from various degrees of injuries sustained, Bakeni who was with the CAN secretary, Apostle Joshua Akeredolu Michael and other officials, commended the management of the hospital and the state government for taking care of the victims.

“We are here this afternoon on behalf of the entire Christian community in Borno State to visit the victims of the unfortunate incident which occurred on the 16th of this month. We thank the management of the UMTH for the attention they have given to the victims.

” So we are here to pray with them and wish them quick recovery. As they go through pains and sorrows, I encourage them to be positive that they will regain their health and be reunited with their families like others who have been discharged,” Bakeni who is also the auxiliary Bishop of Maiduguri Catholic Dioceses said.

Continuing, the CAN chairman said “, In every incident, there are lessons to be learnt and for us in Borno State, we thought we are out of the woods with the issue of suicide bombings.

” Now that we have witnessed this, I will invite all of us to be watchful and be careful, particularly in crowded areas. Let us know that security is everybody’s business.

If you see something that is suspicious that will harm the people, point it out to the necessary authority.

” But by and large what we experienced on the 16th of this month is a clarion call to all of us to be more vigilant and be more careful. But as people of faith, both Muslims and Christians, let us be prayerful so that God will restore permanent peace to our dear State.”

The CAN chairman and his delegation visited the injured at the trauma centre and men surgical ward of the hospital and donated cash to the victims.