Muslims Demonstrate Religious Harmony, Join Christians in Church Service

Chairman of Kano State CAN branch, Bishop Ransom Bello 

As a deliberate step to rebuild confidence and heal the festering relationship between adherents of the two major religions in the country following attacks by Boko Haram on places of worship, Muslims in Kano Sunday visited churches and worshipped with Christians to foster religious tolerance.

Leader of the Muslims, who visited the churches under the platform of Kano Covenant Group, Mr. Bashir Ishaq Bashir, said the step was taken because there was the need for Christians and Muslims to live together in peace as they described the two religions as faith with doctrines that abhor violence.

Addressing the congregation in the various churches during service, Bashir said though there might be differences in practice, Islam and Christianity have a semblance which ultimate aim is to draw people nearer together as they love and cherish one another.

“We are here to deliver a message of hope, a message of peace, a message of solidarity,” he said.

He said Muslims all over Kano would remain at peace with the Christians and urged the worshippers not to panic and resist inflammatory messages that were capable of bringing a breakdown of law and order.

He said: “We must desist from rumours and spreading of falsehood. No doubt Muslims have wronged their Christian brothers, and Christian brothers have wronged their Muslim brothers.”

He insisted that in the face of the shortcomings, there was still the need for a peaceful coexistence.
Speaking also, Chairman of the state branch of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ransom Bello, emphasised the need for all stakeholders to join hands and ensure that peace reigns in Kano as violence, which could lead to destruction of lives and property under any guise, should be totally discouraged.

Bishop Bello thanked Kano State Government for its support and encouragement to the struggle to ensure that Kano remains peaceful and safe, while urging all and sundry to move about their businesses without fear or apprehension.

Among the churches visited by the group were Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, ECWA Hausa Service, Anglican Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church and Calvary of Life Assembly.

Meanwhile, CAN in the 19 Northern states and the FCT Sunday kicked against the recent payment of N100 million as compensation to the late in-law of the deceased leader of the Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, by the Borno State Government, declaring that it was improper for the government to use tax payers’ money to settle the relation of an outlaw who was responsible for the killings and destruction of property of innocent Nigerians, particularly Christians.

The Christian body also demanded that the state government should pay N500 million compensation to each family whose loved ones had been brutally murdered by Boko Haram.

In a statement in Kaduna, CAN expressed shock and disappointed over the decision of the state government to compensate the late in-law of the deceased Boko Haram leader as an out-of-court settlement in a pending suit in a Maiduguri court.

“We are dumbfounded that the Borno State Governor who swore to defend and protect the Constitution of Nigeria could use tax payers’ money to compensate an outlaw who is responsible for the killings and destruction of property of innocent Nigerians, particularly Christians.

“How can any responsible government compensate somebody who has link with a group that is responsible for the bombings and murder of innocent people and threatening the corporate existence of the Nigerian nation?

“We therefore demand N500 million compensation to the families of each Nigerian killed by the Boko Haram Islamic sect from the Borno State government in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

“The decision of the Borno State Government to compensate the in-laws of the Boko Haram Islamic leader without equally compensating other Nigerians killed by members of the sect goes to show the insensitivity of the government towards the losses suffered by other Nigerians,” the Christian body said in the statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Sunday Oibe, in Kaduna.

And as fresh tension gripped residents of Damaturu, capital of Yobe State, at the weekend following widespread text messages alleging that all churches in the town had been burnt down while many Christians were killed in the process in recent attack.

The state Police Command Sunday debunked any such incident in the state, lately.

According to a statement made available to THISDAY in Kano, the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Lawal Tanko, urged residents in the state, Christians particularly, to disregard the information which he described as totally false and a design by mischief makers to either create fears in the minds of the people or foment trouble in the state.

In Enugu State, following the circulation of another set of text messages purporting that a suspected member of the Boko Haram sect was arrested by policemen at the Ninth Mile Corner in the state, most of the churches within the capital city Sunday engaged the services of security operatives to provide adequate protection while the services were going on.

On interrogation, the suspected bomber was said to have revealed that, he and about 50 others were deployed in Enugu State to attack churches, stressing that he was prepared to give further details about their operations.

When contacted on the development, Commissioner of Police in the state, Danzumi Job, said he was not aware that an arrest of such member was made by any Police Division in the state, adding that should there have been any, it would not be the responsibility of the Ninth Mile Division alone.

And piqued by the current state of insecurity in the country occasioned by the threat issued by Boko Haram on Christians in the North, the people of Owa community in Ika North East Local Government of Delta State have constituted a security committee to provide protection in the localities.

Obi of Owa, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor (II), while inaugurating the committee at the weekend in his palace in Owa, said the security outfit would not only synergise with the police and other paramilitary units, but would also help in policing the entire community and apprehend suspected culprits.

He used the occasion to re-assure the Arewa community in Boji Boji Owa and the entire Ika urban not to entertain any fear as adequate security measures had been put in place to protect their lives and property as there was no reason to panic or contemplate to relocate to other communities or states.

In another development, former military administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Colonel Yakubu Bako (rtd), has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to fish out members of Boko Haram in his cabinet and punish them.

He said: “If Jonathan is able to identify one or two of those suspected members of the Boko Haram in his cabinet he could use that as an avenue to now get more of those who are involved.”

Speaking with reporter’s weekend in Kano, Bako said the remarks made by the president were disturbing and capable of causing confusion and suspicion in the minds of Nigerians.

He expressed worries over the movements of some Northerners from South to North as well Southerners from North to South, warning that such disturbing scenario should quickly be addressed by those at the helm of affairs.

Source: Thisday