As mindless killings continue unabated in different parts of the country, political leaders and clerics warn of dangers of complacency on the part of the Federal Government, writes GBENGA OMOKHUNU.
The call on Nigerians to live in peace and harmony seems to be getting more strident in the face of incessant killings in the country, particularly in the northern part. Both Christian and Muslim leaders across the country have been clamouring for peace and appealing to sects, bandits and kidnappers to cease fire and allow peace to reign.
But, rather than reducing, various efforts to bring the situation under control have remained fruitless. Appeals by President Muhammadu Buhari that herdsmen and the natives should embrace peace seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Activities of Boko Haram are raising concerns on a daily basis.
In Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna, Borno and Katsina states amongst others, the crises have continued unabated. With the added dimension of soulless kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling and banditry, the war has spread to the nooks and crannies of the country. The Army was brought in and for some time, just for a few months of reprieve, people thought they could now sleep at the night with their two eyes closed or travel by day, with the hope of getting to their destinations. But the ugly situation has continued to aggravate.
Saddened by the situation Christian leaders and traditional rulers gathered at the Christian Ecumenical Centre Abuja to proffer solutions. It was a book presentation entitled, CAN, Religion, Politics and Power in Nigeria. The book was authored by a former General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samuel Salifu to condemn the upsurge in killings across the country. At the event, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha criticised those calling for the sack of Service Chiefs as solution to the problem.
Mustapha declared that President Buhari’s administration will not sack the Service Chiefs, adding that due process must be followed if at all they would be sacked. He warned members of the public against creating “cracks and divisions” in the country with the call the sacking of the Service Chiefs, which, he said may give the adversaries the opportunity to destabilise the country.
His words: “We are in a very difficult time now. We need everybody to be on board. We need synergy within the intelligence community, within the military formations that will help fight this war. We are in a very difficult situation and when we begin to create cracks and divisions, who will be the beneficiaries? The adversaries are the ones that are going to exploit those deficiencies and further the cause of destabilising the nation.
The SGF said what government wants at this moment is for everybody to be on the same page, fight the battle of securing the nation, for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian has the opportunity to live a prosperous live. “You don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune time, those processes will be followed. You don’t just wake up and say sack people, it doesn’t happen like that.
Mustapha described the book as a reservoir of information, history and past years of struggle. “That is the reason why we are in government. We are to show forth the righteousness of Christ in government. Righteousness exalts a nation. For those of us that find ourselves in the position of government, we are stewards and we are accountable to the almighty after the exercise of our offices. God in his infinite mercy will continually watch over the affairs of our country and at the end of the day it is only His will that shall be done.”
Read Also: ‘Amnesty’ plan for repentant Boko Haram members risky
A former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, attributed the insecurity and disunity in the country to emphasis on religious differences. Clark advised government to ensure that no religion is regarded as superior to the other.
He said the entire world is watching how President Buhari will handle the next appointment of the President of the Court of Appeal. The incumbent will be bowing out of service on March 4, 2020. The elder statesman also said that the seats of the Service Chiefs will soon be vacant.
Clark, who was represented by a former Nigeria Ambassador to Scandinavian, Mr. Godknows Igali, said: “I have been quite active in the politics of our dear country for over 60 years. But never a time have I seen it so polarised on the basis of religion and ethnicity. Or when qualification, seniority, merit and sound reasoning have been sacrificed on the alter of nepotism. Such behaviour was not pronounced during the years of military rule, as well as during the First Republic or the Second Republic.
“I recall that growing up as a young man in this nation, I had friends from all sides and we were quite open to ourselves when we talked politics and governance. But from 1999 to date, religious considerations have increasingly become the basis of consideration for government appointments and other legitimate benefits, thus heightening security threats because of discontentment and agitations from other groups who genuinely, feel excluded from the scheme of things.
“Even worse than that, people are killed and communities are razed down by people who feel that all of us must be practitioners of one religion.”
Continuing, Igali said: “I am very happy that the National Assembly wants to amend our Constitution. Like I stated recently in the media, religion should be one of the critical areas the legislature should look into. Religious differences have been one of the main problems causing insecurity and disunity in the country. No religion should be regarded as superior to the other, or be given priority consideration. For instance, the whole country and indeed the international community is watching to see how Mr. President will handle the next appointments for the President of the Court of Appeal as the current occupier bows out and the position becomes vacant on March 4, 2020; and that of the Service Chiefs which will soon be vacant. My prayer is that Mr. President will do the correct thing.”
CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle advised government to put an end to the killings in the country.
Ayokunle said: “Whatever is happening now will become history. This is why we should speak to those in government. We should write good history about yourselves. Let Nigerians know you for peace. I have said it again and again that the type of blood shed that is going on in Nigeria is not going to be a good history that we are going to recall. It will be good to make sure that those in government fight violence in Nigeria. Because if they fail to accomplish a Nigeria where there is peace and security, it will be sad and it will be part of our history forever and ever. Let us appeal to those in power to write history that we all will be proud of.”
Former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan expressed concern over the rate of killings.
Onaiyekan said Nigeria will stand and flourish only when Muslims and Christians can worl together to make religion a factor for stability, unity, peace and prosperity. And that the people must insist on that because there is no other option. He noted that there is an easy way to peace and prosperity than through the way of war.
He said, “Let us pray for our nation and save our country. I do not think we are doomed to a major clash. There are people who want it. I do not think that is the will of God for us. Terrible things are going on in Nigeria. We do not want to arrive at that situation where you can now arrange a meeting and not be able to attend. Things are very hard but it could be better. The priority of the Christian faith is not negotiable and everybody knows that.
Government should defend those who are persecuted or those who have said they are persecuted. Please, if somebody says he is persecuted, don’t tell him that he is not persecuted. Why people say that they are prosecuted let no one say that they are not. It is for them to say how they feel.”
Continuing, Onaiyekan said: “There are many Christians in Nigeria who feel persecuted. Please, allow them to cry, so as to know when to help, to stop those things which make them cry. We must live for all. So the God that created members of the Boko Haram sect is the same God that created me. We must find a way of getting ourselves together. In Nigeria, it should be easy for us to see ourselves as human beings, as brothers and sisters.”
Also contributing, a former Governor of old Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife urged Nigerians to pray for the survival of the country. He accused politicians of fueling major crisis in the country, adding that a broken country is not the best for Nigeria.
His words: “We must ensure that we live in oneness, but our politicians are part of our problems.”
The author of the book, Salifu, advised government to urgently end the killings in the country. He urged the SGF to, as a matter of urgency, continue to advise President Buhari not to rest on his oars in ensuring that peace continue to reign in Nigeria.
Salifu said as the engine room of government, the SGF should always be on the part of the truth at all times, no matter the situation. He urged Christians and Muslims to ensure that the incessant killings in the country come to an end without further delay.
Leave a Reply