The Federal Government has been told to expeditiously treat Fulani killer-herdsmen as terrorists in a bid to clear itself of any complicity and support.
It has also warned that the atrocities being committed in the country by the herdsmen could lead to the break up of the country.
The Evangelical Church West Africa (ECWA) made its position known in a press release by its President, Rev. ((Dr) Stephen Baba Panya, on the deteriorating security situation and other national issues, a copy of which was given to Persecondnews on Friday.
Panya said: “Unless these Fulani killer herdsmen are treated as terrorists, the situation will continue to persist.
“The action of the government in providing tacit support is akin to what happened between the regime of Omar Al-Bashir and the Janjaweed terrorists in Sudan.
“It is a well-known fact that this unholy alliance was what eventually led to the emergence of South Sudan. We must not allow this situation to repeat itself in Nigeria.
“The magnitude and dimension of attacks by herdsmen in recent years show that there is more to it than mere conflict on water and grass.
“What we are seeing today is simply terrorism under the guise of herders/farmers conflict.”
Panya also stated: “Miyetti Allah as a group has been the official and most vocal voice and force behind the activities of the killer herdsmen.
“They not only give justifications for their terror activities but work hard, in addition to narratives by some highly placed government officials, to sell them to both local and international communities as the victims of the recent bloodshed in Nigeria.
“But the calibre of weapons they use and the sophistry of their operations leave more questions than answers.
” It also leaves one baffling how, for the first time in history, the ‘supposed victim’ is highly armed with military-grade weapons while the ‘supposed hostile communities’ are littered with mass graves, refugee camps, and high economic impoverishment as a result of paying millions of naira in ransom for their kidnapped relatives if at all they are lucky to receive them alive.
‘This is the case in Southern Kaduna, Plateau State, Benue State, and generally in the Christian-dominated Middle Belt region of Nigeria. Miyetti Allah, on many occasions, has not only owned up to attacks on innocent Nigerians but also given justifications for such attacks.
” As a result, many have called for its proscription, but to no avail. They are fast becoming a government within the constituted government of Nigeria.”
On the attack on Governor of Benue by the herders, the ECWA President declared: “The attempted assassination of Dr. Samuel Ortom, the seating Governor of Benue State, amounts to introducing another very dangerous dimension to the security challenge, which if not properly and decisively handled, can threaten the corporate existence of Nigeria.
“It is noteworthy that the faceless Fulani Nationality Movement (FUNAM) has owned up to this dastardly act.
“Nevertheless, the decision of the security agencies to thoroughly investigate the assassination attempt is commendable and it is our hope that measures will be taken to unravel those behind the attack and to begin the process of rebuilding the long-deteriorated trust between government and the people.
“It has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between Fulani herdsmen, bandits, and even Boko Haram members because their antics are basically the same, and it may be only the underlying dominant driving motives that may differ.
“While money is more of a driving force for bandits, land grabbing and territorial expansion are more dominant for the Fulani militia, and religious motive more dominant for Boko Haram.”
Taking a swipe on Sheikh Gumi, the church leader said: “However, the utterances of self-acclaimed negotiators and so-called mediators like Sheikh Gumi, are clearly an effort to stir the bandits towards a religious war.
“Nothing less can be deduced from his statement to the Fulani militia that he was reliably told it was Christian soldiers that treated them harshly and killed them.
“This is totally condemnable and it would have been expected that government would totally condemn his clandestine mission while relevant security agencies would have done the needful.
“A more worrisome development is the use or more accurately, the misuse of government machinery in favour of one religion over the other.
“This is the case with regards to the imposition of a Muslim candidate as Chief, against the popular choice of a Christian candidate, over a community that is over 90 percent Christian in the Tangale chiefdom of Gombe State.
“This is clearly a forceful imposition on the psyche of Nigerians that there is dominance of one religion over the other or that the adherents of other religious beliefs are second-class citizens. This is oppressive and only succeeds in sowing hatred and bitterness and creating a false sense of superiority of one human being over another.
“Similarly, of serious concern is the attempt by the Kwara state government to impose the use of Hijab in Christian schools in the state.
“It must be clear that the careful use of the term, ‘grant-aided schools, being publicized by the state government and some media outfits would not insult the common sense of Nigerians to make them see Christian schools other than what they have always been.
“Ten schools were shut down by the state government in an attempt to bully the Christian schools to adopting the use of Hijab and the staff of the schools is being intimidated into returning to work under the new law which infringes on the Christian ethics of running mission schools.
“We appeal to the government at all levels to stop the use of state powers to favour one religion over another.”
To douse tension in the land, and bring restoration of the desired peace, stability and progress in the country, Panya called on the Kwara State Government to return all mission schools to their owners without any granting aids.
“Let missions schools be administered according to the tenets of their faith and anyone who voluntarily chooses to enroll their wards there must be ready to abide by the established rules and regulations of the school.
“The Mai Tangale Stool – We understand that this has been challenged in the court of law. We encourage the good and peace-loving people of Tangale to continue with this legitimate and peaceful means of seeking redress, trusting that God will use the courts, adjudged as the last hope of the common man, to ensure that justice is done, so that the popular choice of the people can be honoured.
“The MACBAN and other Non- State Actors – This organization and all non-state actors must be called to order to stop their incisive and vituperative statements and activities.
“Show of Common Concern and Care for All – We watched with joy the effort and urgency that the Federal and various state governments in the north made for the rescue of school children kidnapped in Katsina, Zamfara, and the Niger States.
“Very sadly, despite several promises by President Mohammadu Buhari and security agencies, freedom remains a mirage for Leah Sharibu and other Christian girls like Alice Loksha Ngadah, Grace Lukas, Lilliang Gyang, and the remaining Chibok girls.
“Not to mention Rev. Polycarp Zango, the eight Redeemed Christian Church of God members and many other Christians in captivity of Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits alike.
READ ALSO: Insecurity, killer-herdsmen: Nigeria on the edge of precipice — Catholic Bishops Conference
“The President and security agencies need to show more commitment, care, and concern for all, irrespective of their religious faith and make effort to free all those in captivity,” Panya stressed.
He added: “Equity, Justice, and Fairness – I recall that when the late Elder Statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, led a group of northern elders to congratulate the then President-Elect, Muhammadu Buhari in May 2015, he stressed the critical and indispensable role of justice in ensuring good governance, peace, and stability.
“In his own very words, he said to Buhari: “Sir, it is easy; I know, it was easy when you were a military leader, and what made it easy was justice. With justice, you can rule Nigeria well.
“Justice is the key; irrespective of tribe, religion, and race, justice must be done to whosoever deserves it. Power can remain in the hands of an infidel if he is just and fair but it will not remain in the hands of a believer if he is unfair and unjust.”
“Maitama Sule also said injustice was the fundamental cause of crises all over the world and that the only solution to avert crisis was justice.”
According to him, the world itself can never be governed by force or by fear nor by power; in the end, what governs is the mind, what conquers is the spirit and what governs the mind and spirit are justice and fair play.
“I have always known you to be a man of justice and I ask you to please continue, don’t change or compromise justice for anything. Mr. President-elect sir, we know what we have gone through.
I will ask you not to discriminate against any part of Nigeria but I’ll urge you to do justice to all parts of Nigeria, justice that will bring about peace and stability, that will lead to the development of Nigeria.
“I know you believe that one day you will stand before God to give an account of everything you have done here on earth. I will rather prefer that you disappoint me than to disappoint God, your creator.
“In his very short counsel, Maitama Sule used the word justice ten times! Genuine peace has to be premised on justice, fair play, and equity. Indeed, the scriptures, the Holy Bible, have very strong words on this: By justice, a king gives country stability (Proverbs 29:4).
“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers (Proverbs 21:15). Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully (Proverbs 28:5). Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right (Psalms 106:3).
“Let us seek and pursue the peace that is premised on justice, if we want truly lasting peace and by that, God will be pleased with us and reward us greatly on that day of our appearing before His judgment seat, for everyone to receive his or her reward.
“On this, the Bible also says we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10),” Panya stated.
“We in ECWA shall continue to make requests, prayers, intercession with thanksgiving for everyone, including the Executive, the Legislative and Judicial arms of government and all those in authority.
That we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2).”
On the 2014 National Conference, he said: “The 2014 National Conference Resolutions – To ignore the deliberations and resolutions of the 2014 conference is tantamount to throwing away the baby with the birth water.
“We, therefore, re-iterate our call that the 2014 National Conference, which has over 600 resolutions, be implemented because it has substantially addressed these challenges.
“We urge the Buhari administration to put in place the necessary mechanisms for the implementation of recommendations of the Conference Report.
” The Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, and other stakeholders should work together to actualize this.”
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