Pandef slams Sultan, insists Christians under persecution in Nigeria
Posted by News Express | 31 December 2019 | 1,219 times
•Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III
PAN-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the mouthpiece of monarchs,
leaders and stakeholders of coastal states of Niger Delta, Monday, lashed out
at the Sultan of Sokoto over his claim that Christians were not under
persecution in Nigeria.
National Chairman of PANDEF and former Military
Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (retd) told
Vanguard: “It is rather unfortunate for the Sultan to have said there are no
religious violations in Nigeria. It is not correct and we totally disagree with
him, because the facts are glaring.”
“The Sultan cannot claim to be unaware of the atrocious
activities perpetuated by herdsmen on Christian farmers across the country,
particularly in the Middle Belt region, including Benue, Taraba, Adamawa,
Plateau and Nasarawa states, as well as Southern Kaduna, where mostly Christian
communities have been, over the years, attacked by Muslim fundamentalists, with
wanton destruction of property and killings of innocent citizens.
“Furthermore, if the Sultan says Christians are not being
persecuted in Nigeria, on what basis is Leah Sharibu still been held by Boko
Haram, after the release of the other 104 girls, who were taken hostage with
her.
“The only reason they have given is that she refused to
renounce her Christian faith. And the Government cannot exonerate itself from
all that are happening in the country.
“It is for the same reasons that we are having difficulties
with our democracy; we are having anomalies. If it is not true that religious
persecution is being tolerated in the country, how come today, there is so much
talk about nepotism in the government; people are accusing the Presidency of
nepotism, and it goes beyond the appointment of family members or persons from
a section of the country.
“There are genuine concerns that certain political
portfolios and positions in the nation’s public service are reserved for only
people of a particular religion. And the government has not done anything to
address these concerns. Let us stop deceiving ourselves in this country.
“PANDEF completely supports the United States on listing the
country among nations that tolerate religious persecution, as the global
community is not unaware of the improprieties against Christians by the Islamic
terrorist groups in Nigeria, and even by the government of Nigeria.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the purported killing of
eleven Nigerian Christian hostages on Christmas Day by the Islamic State
terrorist group. It is sad and barbaric.
“However, it clearly vindicates the United States on its
position, and disparages the comments of the Sultan on this matter. The His
Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President of the Supreme
Council of Islamic Affairs should instead of denying the obvious, use his
revered position to exhort his subjects and even the government to respect the
plurality of religions in Nigeria, and the dignity of human life,” he asserted.
(Vanguard)
Source: News Express
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