Religious war looms – Kukah
Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah
Don’t drag us into war– Yakowa
CAN threatens retaliation
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, has said that a war between Christians and Muslims is possible in the country if the current security challenges are not tackled.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan might not be responsible for the present security challenges, but that as the President “he holds the key and is duty-bound to take decisive steps to bring an end to the present situation,” adding that he had earlier alerted him about the future of the country.
Bishop Kukah, who stated this yesterday in Abuja during a National Summit on the Freedom of Information Act, organised by Media Rights Agenda, stressed: “I warned him about the future of Nigeria; I am convinced that Nigeria is running out of time. There is an impending war between Muslims and Christians in the country.”
He noted that the attacks on the Christian communities in the North are a deliberate attempt to push them out of the North.
“This country is ours to build and construct; nobody owns this country; the country belongs to all of us as citizens of this country and we have the right to reside in any part of the country. If the President does not take decisive steps, we may be pushed to war,” he said.
Speaking on the Freedom of Information Act 2011, Bishop Kukah said that the task of ensuring effective implementation of the Act is a critical one that must involve all stakeholders and all sectors of the society.
He said the media is instrumental to the passage of the Act and must continue to play its roles to make sure the Act works effectively.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, said that he is prepared to work on public enlightenment with civil society organisations and other committed stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the FOI Act.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna state government has urged Nigerians, particularly the people of the state, not to allow actions of the “forces of darkness” to drag them into a religious war.
It also declared that Sunday’s bomb attacks on churches and the reprisal that followed was not as a result of failure of security on the part of the government which has continued to accord the security of lives and priority the desired attention it deserved.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Governor Patrick Yakowa said that success has been recorded most of the times, during which “the forces of evil” could not succeed, adding that both the federal and state governments would continue to give security all the attention it deserves.
The statement, which was signed by the external media consultant to Yakowa, Mr. Emmanuel Ado, noted that the intention of the Islamic militant group that goes with the name Boko Haram is to ensure that both Christians and Muslims engage in senseless retaliatory attacks.
According to him, “Those killed in the attacks on the churches are innocent people that went to worship and those attacked or killed in retaliatory attacks are equally innocent people.”
While condoling with the families of those that lost their loved ones, Yakowa urged men of goodwill to stand up to be counted at this crucial period of our national life, adding that the crisis is national and to a large extent international in character.
He said that the major task ahead of the state government is rebuilding of confidence amongst all the peoples of the state, stressing that it is critical and crucial to enable the state enjoy peace.
“For Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, security and peace goes beyond soldiers and policemen on the streets. It is about justice and fairness in the administration of the state,” Ado stated.
He assured the law-abiding people of the state that the government would continue to fund the ‘Operation Yaki’ security outfit, stressing that calls for the dismantling of roadblocks would not be in the best interest of anyone as the government is convinced about their effectiveness.
Yakowa, therefore, appealed to men of goodwill to help ensure that confidence is rebuilt and assured that good will surely overcome evil in the state, adding that the state government will continue to do all in its power to ensure that the state is peaceful.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South-east zone, has warned the northern state governments over the incessant bombing of churches every Sunday by Boko Haram, stressing that henceforth the Christians will retaliate every action against Christians by Boko Haram anywhere in the country.
CAN said that since the insurgency, hundreds of innocent Christians have been killed. It condemned Sunday’s wanton killings of the innocent Nigerians at their various worship places.
The south-east CAN chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, who is also the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, stated this yesterday while briefing journalists immediately after the meeting of religious leaders and security agencies in Enugu. It noted that killing of Christians in the north is a clear manifestation of a religious war.
He regretted that despite the vast allocation provided for security, the police cannot guarantee the security of life and properties of Nigerians. “What is the new Inspector General of Police doing? Is changing of police uniform going to provide security to the people?” he asked.
The clergyman noted that since it has become a tradition that every Sunday is a harvest day for Boko Haram, he queried why security agencies would wait for a church to be bombed before coming to tell Nigerians not to take laws into their hands.
He said: “I can tell you authoritatively that Boko Haram is a Jihad. They have sent 2,000 Muslims to the South-east and 2,500 to the South-south in an attempt to Islamise the country”. This, he said, “is not going to work”.
Filed Under: News
their has been several burning of churches and killing of muslims in Jos you didn,t say anything, when christians were caught with explosives you didnt say anything but not because it happening in Kaduna state where you came from you are now talking of war. is not your fault both those who dont know you.
go and ask jonathan, aziza and gov jang they know those behind the bombing but yakowa is innocent
I find it difficult to understand the thinking of christian clergy in Nigeria. They almost always blame the entire Muslim community in the country for harboring Boko Haram. They talk as if Boko Haram has the tacit support of the Muslims. This is not true. And it is myopic to think along that line. The truth is no sane Muslim who knows Islam will condone Boko Haram. The attacks on churches is indeed condemnable. From the outburst of the christian leadership in the country calling for reprisal, I now foresee Boko Haram achieving its target of pitting Christians against Muslims in a bloody war which will will destroy Nigeria and expunge it from the map of the world.
Moreover, it is advisable that men of God should speak the truth or keep mute to avoid unnecessary discord in the society.: “I can tell you authoritatively that Boko Haram is a Jihad. The South-East CAN chairman,Emanuel Chukuma is quoted to have said, ”They have sent 2,000 Muslims to the South-east and 2,500 to the South-south in an attempt to Islamise the country”. This is a blatant lie. And If what he said is true, let him come and convince Nigerians that there is a collective attempt by the Muslims in Nigeria to ”Islamize” the south. It is high time we tell ourselves the truth and stop being bias.
the more you see the less you understand
D man dnt knw wat he is saying. Pls somdy should tel me. Wat do we cal d christian dat were caught wit bomb. Book dole.
when rogues become religious leaders, this is what you get. Chukwuma, Oritsejafor- if these are the ‘leaders’ that christians have, i fear for them. These people will lead them to the abyss and the run away. What a tragedy.
D man dnt knw wat he is saying. We all knw wat d use (CAN) for.he is nt a true christian .Pls somdy should tel me. Wat do we cal d christian dat were caught wit bomb. Boko dole.
the prob.wit u dis hausa/fulani muslims is dat u always divert d truth frm reality.u claimed d clergy is nt telling d truth den wots d truth.rmbr u r nt d only ones in dis artificial creation of colonialism called nigeria.now i ask wot is aim of dis attack on xtians xpecially d igbos.b4 bokoharam emergence has muslim nt been attacking xtians nd churches
ANY rELIGION THAT SUPORTS BLLOD SHADE IS BARBERIC AND SHLD NOT BE GIVEN A CHANCE…. IF U ARE HAPPY THAT INNOCENT PPL ARE MAIMED AND KILLED, THEN U ARE A DEVIL. IF BOKO HARAM IS NOT FIGHTING A RELIGIOUS WAR, WHY SHOULD THE ATTACKS BE CONCENTRATED ON ON CHURCHES AND ON SUNDAYS? A RELIGION THAT HAS NO RESPECT FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE DEVILISH. IF WE CANT CONTINUE TO LIVE IN PEACE , THEN TO UR TENT OH ISREAL.. WE ARE TIRED OF THIS ARTIFICIAL UNITY.
‘so by these few instances out of many, it is a fact that Christains, or rather Chruch goers have engaged in or have been manipulated into suicide attacks over a cause they tought they firmly beleiev in or what thier manipulators believe in’
‘Since we have in our midst coonscienceless and brutal politicians who pretend to lift up ‘holy hands’ in Church on Sunday morning, but go about corrupting everything corruptible in our national daily life on Sunday, then we must look at the possibility of th ‘proxy bomb’ theory’
Source: As the Church slept…..The Trilogy by Sharon Faliya Cham Leadership Newspapers 18th, 19th and 20th June 2012.
I dnt support war.Either religious or political,war destroys.I can understand d emotion involve here.Nobody wants to be told that your wife and children were blown of by one aimless Boko Haram!But yoy knw that is where d problem is;it has not been reported that Dame Patience Jonathan was bombed in Abuja Cathedral or at the airport!Then Boko Haram will be dealt with.All those lives lost so far dnt mine anything to the government since they are not wives and children to any of the top government official!