BY TONY EDIKE

ENUGU – THE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the South East, yesterday, threatened to close down churches operating in the zone without registration with the association.

Chairman of the association in the zone and Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev.  Emmanuel Chukwuma, said some of the churches had become safe havens for men of the underworld.

He said the association would soon engage security agencies to clampdown on such churches which were set up for purposes, other than to fellowship and worship God.

Bishop Chukwuma said:   “We are very much weary and worried about some churches that are springing up in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, committing atrocities and deceiving people and bringing bad name to Christianity.

“In South East, we are now out to make sure that any church not registered under any block in CAN and operating on their own without registering will be closed down. Some of them have become hideouts for thieves, armed robbers and kidnappers.”

The Anglican bishop, who is also Chairman of Enugu State Christian Pilgrim’s Welfare Board, however, advised such unregistered churches to register with CAN without further delay or be ready to face the full wrath of the association.
He declared that the association would no longer fold its arms and watch some people drag the image of Christianity in the mud.

On the declining security situation in the country, he called on President Goodluck Jonathan to fish out the sponsors of the incessant bombings in the northern parts of the country, stressing that such people were human beings and not ghosts that could not be seen.

“The South East CAN condemn in its entirety the incessant bombings and killings by the Boko Haram Sect because the current situation does not guarantee peaceful coexistence of the people,” he stated.

Urging the Federal Government to exercise caution on the issue of dialoguing with the faceless Boko Haram sect, Bishop Chukwuma noted that if there should be such discussion, it should be between the security chiefs and not the President directly.

He warned direct discussion by the President with the sect members could pose serious danger to his life.