New Telegraph

Insecurity: Catholic church, CAN back Kukah on homily

 

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and Abuja have thrown their weights behind the Christmas Day message delivered by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, which dwelt on the worsening level of insecurity in the Nigeria. In the message titled,

 

“A Nation in Search of Vindication,” Bishop Kukah warned that Nigeria was at the verge of becoming a failed state given the increasing rate of terrorism, banditry and mass abductions in different parts of the country.

 

The message, which has continued to generate criticisms and support from a cross section of Nigerians, also highlighted the seeming incapacity and failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to stem the tide of insecurity and bring succour to the people. Kukah also alerted Nigerians on the dangers of the nation becoming unable to feed itself as a result of the insecurity in mostly agrarian communities, stressing that food insecurity was a dangerous sign of state failure and a trigger to more violence.

 

National Director, CSN’s Social Communication, Fr. Mike Umoh, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, noted that the Catholic Church in Nigeria has taken its stand with Kukah’s position on the state of the nation, given the prolonged insecurity and economic challenges gradually crippling the country.

 

He raised concerns over the incessant attacks on Bishop Kukah, who was alleged by some individuals of having an agenda to instigate violence and hinder national integration with his message.

 

While advising Nigerians to stand in support of the truth, Umoh cautioned against falling for the antics of those he described as players of the religious and tribal card even at the expense of the general good of the nation. He said: “We are quite aware of the 2020 Christmas Message by our revered Bishop Hassan Kukah and the enormous space it has enjoyed on social media and in the public sphere. “As expected, the agents of evil have gathered to attack the person of the Bishop and to discredit the simple obvious truth of the message. This is the stock in trade of evil people.

 

“However, they often succeed when good people and Christians choose to do nothing. We are, therefore, calling attention to this new development so that we can all rise in unison and stand for truth.

 

“The situation in Nigeria no longer allows anyone to sit on the fence; indifference is now a greater form of sin. Everyone must choose and stand up for what he/she believes in. “The truth about our nation is also that there are only two parties now existing: the good and the evil, the oppressed and the oppressor, the suffering people and the benefiting government officers and their families. Please stop allowing anyone fool you with these cards: religion and tribe.”

 

Similarly, the CAN in the 19 Northern states and Abuja also stated that the time had come for Nigerians to unite and condemn the current woes bedevilling the country. In a reaction to the controversies trailing Kukah’s Christmas message, the Northern CAN accused some persons and interest groups of twisting Kukah’s message to portray him in bad light, adding that it was injurious to nation-building.

 

Vice-Chairman of CAN, Northern Region, Rev John Hayab, said: “The group had read with great shock, attempts to further divide the nation by the Presidency, the leadership of MURIC and other individuals and groups aimed at twisting the crux of the homily Bishop Kukah gave at Christmas.

 

The umbrella body of Christian faithful in Northern Nigeria described those attacking Bishop Kukah as “zealots” who do not mean well for the country.

“Of grave misgiving is the baseless claim in a statement signed by the President of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, that Bishop Kukah had “referred to Islam as a violent religion” and “calls for a coup.”

 

“Given the current happenings in Nigeria with kidnapping, banditry and horrible atrocities committed against hapless citizens by members of the Boko Haram, Nigerians should be united in condemning and finding solutions to the awful condition that we are in as Bishop Kukah has rightly done. “For those castigating the revered cleric, we would call them by name – they are sectional zealots who only see

 

 

the trouble in Nigeria from their primordial views. “It is time for the Presidency, MURIC, and misinformed individuals to eschew their intolerance and admit that Nigeria under Buhari has strayed from the path and vision that the independence of this great country was fought for and won.

 

“Let the government do the right thing by creating a sense of inclusion for all and sundry, defending the citizens from harm, bringing an end to the growing insecurity in towns, cities, and villages that we could attain greatness together.” The Northern CAN berated MURIC over its attack on Kukah. “Reading through Bishop Kukah’s “A Nation In Search of Vindication”,

 

CAN is unable to find any expression suggesting an affront to Islam or a call for a coup. Sadly, MURIC aims to incite citizens against one another along the lines of faith instead of denouncing the insecurity witnessed across the country which is the point of Bishop Kukah’s message.

 

“From the East to the South, West and all over the North, travelling has become a nightmare while hapless people are dragged from their homes for ransom.

“Our memory is fresh with the gruesome killings of 76 farmers in Borno State in early December 2020, whose only crime was simply being farmers eking for source of livelihoods for their families. What was MURIC’s statement at the time of that national tragedy? How about the Kankara boys’ kidnap and the excruciating pains the kids, their parents and school were thrown in?

 

CAN 19 northern states and Abuja did not read a statement from MURIC and their likes. “Now from the blues as Bishop Kukah talked the truth to power, we read unscrupulous statements aimed at painting black a message that was clear and concise alerting the government of its failure on the security of lives and property of Nigerians,” he said.

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