By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–A coalition of some Christian youth groups in the country, Friday, condemned recent protest at Dunamis Church, Abuja,by some associates of political actors.

To this end,it warned that the church of God is not a campaign ground or place for carrying political protests, insisting that ” the church is not the seat of government.”

The group, however, appealed to the Department of State Service, DSS
to allow detained protesters earlier arrested in the church access to their lawyers, doctors and families just as it tasked the Nigerian secret security organisation to hasten investigation on the protesters with a view to releasing them back to their families to continue to their lives.

The group operating under the aegis of Coalition of Christian Youths Organisation of Nigeria,CCYON,warned aggrieved political stakeholders, activists and traditionalists against protesting in churches, saying such acts amounted to desecration of the “house of God.”

Leaders of the member groups, speaking at a press conference in Abuja,through gospel singer and converner,Amb. Phil Roberts,tasked Christian youths to be orderly and civilized in the quest for change.

Reading a text of the press conference, Roberts explained that the event was a platform for the group to “add their voice in calling church leaders to work together to promote the body of Christ and avert what happened at Dunamis Gospel Church by Omowole Sowore and also put a stop to the insults vented on all pastors.”

Explaining that CCYON was an umbrella body of Christian youths organizations in Nigeria with an aim to promote Christian values and ethics through prayers,media advocacy, networking, mobilisation and employment, Ambassador Roberts called on all “members in Nigeria to remain calm and not react negatively to the provocative words coming from Sowore and his group.”

According to him, the group “identify with the collective yearnings for positive change and leadership transformation in the land, but also believe in orderly and civilized engagement in the quest for change.”

Roberts,who said they “won’t be cowered into embracing anarchy in our quest for change”, urgeg “all Christian youths to avoid the societal plague called of disunity.”

Also speaking,representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria,CAN Youth wing, Evangelist Imaobong Odohofrey,who doubled as President Emeritus,Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria,PFN youth wing,said:”We want to use this platform to let every politician, activist and even traditionalist know that the church of God is not your campaign ground or place for carrying out political protest as the church is not the seat of government. “

“We implore everyone to critically look into the above and satisfy their conscience with balanced and objective answers,”he added.

He spoke further:”We also plead with Christian youths to please avoid people who don’t respect or fear God as we live in perilous times where the house of God has suffered a lot and we believe it’s time for us to kick start the trend of righteousness to exalt this nation with the sanity that our churches possess.

“We draw the attention of church leaders to rise up to the occasion and speak for the church so as not to allow unwarranted attacks on the church. We shouldn’t allow the devil to infest Christian youths with bad morals, political rascality and ethical bankruptcy.”

He called on DSS to speed up investigation on the suspects.

“We want to also appeal to the Department of State Service,DSS,to speed up investigation on the five persons in their custody and subsequently release the youths to continue with their lives. Besides, they should be allowed access to their doctors, lawyers and families,”he said.

He added:”We are not here not because we are against protests but what we are saying here is that let protest not be brought to the church.”

He called on federal government to make things easy for the masses especially by empowering the youths to have something doing.

“If government can create enabling environment for the youths,they will be engaged positively and there would be less protests in Nigeria,”he said.

Leaders from the coalition’s members, namely:Association for Youths of Nigeria Against Corruption (AYONAC), Frontiers Network, All Talented Christian Club (ATC), New Nigerian Agenda, Association of Christian Journalists ,Abuja Gospel Artist Forum , Yowican ,PFN Youth wing, National Peace Initiative and Nation builders network,were all present.