Retired military generals and other Christian elders under the aegis of the National Christian Elders Forum, have observed that Nigeria is drifting towards a needless conflict that can culminate in another war, if not well managed.
According to Punch, the group stated that Jihad or holy Islamic war had been launched in the country to eradicate democracy and supplant the constitution.
Rising from a meeting on Thursday in Abuja where it reviewed unfolding events in the country, the NCEF, a group of eminent Christian elders, noted that the nation was in the throes of jihad.
Those in attendance at the meeting included Elder Solomon Asemota, Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro (retd.), Gen. Zamani Lekwot (retd.), Elder Moses Ihonde, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), Elder Shyngle Wigwe, and Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife.
They called on Nigerian leaders to tread softly to avoid the impending implosion.
In a communique issued after the meeting and signed by its chairman, Asemota, SAN, the NCEF noted with concern the budding constitutional crisis in the country.
It stated that the threat of another major ethnic conflict, occasioned by the Indigenous People of Biafra’s call for secession and the response of Arewa Northern Youths for the eviction of the Igbo from the North, the agitations for fiscal federalism and resource control, among many other regional agitations, could snowball into a major crisis in the country.
The group said, “The real problem with the country is that Jihad has been launched in Nigeria and Islamists that have been interfering in the governance of the country using “Taqiyya” (approved deception) as “Stealth/Civilisation Jihad” and Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen as violent Jihad, are relentless in their pursuit of eradicating democracy in Nigeria.
“The objective of the Islamists (Political Islam) is to supplant the constitution of Nigeria with Sharia ideology as the source of legislation in the nation. The conflict between democracy as national ideology and Sharia as a usurping ideology is responsible for the crisis unfolding in Nigeria. The nation is in the throes of Jihad.”
The Christian body also observed that the conflicting signals emanating from the Presidency and the Senate as well as the unrelenting attacks of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen had not helped the situation, noting that the Presidency appeared to be at war with itself and at conflict with the National Assembly.
“…If grazing reserve is a must for the Fulani herdsmen, instead of ranching which is the international best practice, NCEF recommends that Sambisa Forest should be given to the Fulani herdsmen,” it added.
The NCEF condemned what it called the brazen attempt at Islamising Nigeria with the introduction of Religion and National Values subject “which denigrates Christianity and promotes Islam.”
“The NCEF joins in the demand that Christian Religious Knowledge, and Islamic Religious Knowledge, revert to the original status as stand-alone subjects,” it added.
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