Emeka Mamah
3 December 2008
Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) have condemned the sectarian crisis which trailed the results of the Jos North Local Government election in Plateau State saying that the crisis and the attendant loss of lives could have been avoided.
Both CAN and SCSN spoke at different fora in Kaduna yesterday.
Chairman of CAN in the state and Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan, Dr. Joseph Danlami Bagobiri who spoke for his group said that the violence was a denigration of humanity adding that those behind the mayhem had no value for life.
"We call on both Muslims and Christians to embrace peace by loving one another.
"We must cultivate the culture of mutual understanding.
"The crisis has shown that we have no regards for human life in this country," Bishop Bagobiri said.
He however blamed the cycle of violence in the country on corruption which he said was affecting the progress of the country.
According to him, it was ironical that a rich nation like Nigeria has no electricity apart from her poor and chaotic transportation system.
"We are unable to meet up due to corruption," he added.
In its own reaction, the SCSN urged "the Federal Government to go beyond its high sounding and pious pronouncements and undertakings by addressing the root cause of the serial massacres in Plateau State".
The Secretary General of the Council, Malam Nafiu Baba - Ahmad who addressed newsmen on the issue said: "we wish to emphasize that this is absolutely necessary because in the past, successive governments have tended to shy away from taking the bull by the horn, conveniently sweeping the dirt under the carpet.
"Even the half hearted attempt to sanction the ring leader of a similarly well organized massacre of Muslims in Zangon Kataf in 1987 by the Babangida regime, was not implemented faithfully, thereby emboldening others.
"We believe that unless the Federal Government takes a firm and decisive action to put an end to this trend, Muslims will no longer accept to turn other cheek to such brazen acts of genocide, nor will they be mollified by political rhetoric's or circus panels of inquiries.
"We had already suffered similarly in Zangon-Kataf, Kafanchan, Kaduna, Numan, Yelwan, Shendam, Wase, Mambilla and Tafawa Balewa massacres. In all cases, nobody was sanctioned for such organized massacres.
"We would like to appeal to all Nigerians, to urgently come to the aid of the maimed, distressed and displaced residents of Jos, who desperately need medicine, food, water, blankets and clothing. This is the time to practically exhibit the spirit of brotherhood", he adde.
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