JNI alleges coinage of herdsmen debacle as CAN’s invention

NOA urges collaboration to stem insecurity
The Jamatul Nasir Islam (JNI) has alleged that the ‘herdsmen’ debacle is a coinage mischievously invented by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the Secretary General of JNI, Sheikh Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu described the press conference addressed by the CAN Secretary General, Reverend Dr. Musa Asake, on January 16, 2018 as provocative, full of blatant lies and misinformation, disinformation as well as seditious to the state.

According to JNI, “ The ‘herdsmen’ debacle must be understood that this is a mischievously invented by CAN over time and among media practitioners to stereotype an ethnic group so as to achieve a pre-planned agenda.

“Why is the whole herdsmen issue heightened now in 2018? Simply, CAN is unnecessarily overheating the polity because 2019 is around the corner. Our take is that CAN should better go and register as a political party and contest election if they want to test their popularity.”

In the same vein, JNI has described as unfortunate hate speeches by some Christian leaders and called on such leaders not to take the Nigerian Muslim’s patience for foolishness as their hate speeches is becoming really provocative and outlandish.

JNI therefore advocated that government should be seen to be proactive on these security matters. The reoccurrence of security upheavals such as kidnappings, armed robberies, rising bombs/attacks of Boko Haram insurgents and ethnic violence here and there, in Nigeria is alarming and there is urgent need for redress as citizens are becoming more and more agitated.

“To put the record straight, JNI condemns killings of innocent souls wherever they happen and whoever is involved. JNI also condemns the generalization of criminals as representatives of the whole, thus leading to unjust stereotyping and name calling. We condemn all criminals, whoever they are and wherever they come from. A criminal should be treated as a criminal regardless of his/her ethnicity and/or religious affiliation.”

Meanwhile, the Muslim and Christian women under the auspices of Women Interfaith Council (WIC) over the weekend in Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State held what it called ‘solidarity prayer’ for killings across the country and seek the face and intervention of God.

In a keynote address, Prof. Kabir Mato, Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs said women were the vanguard of fostering peaceful coexistence in any society.

He said women should assume their responsibility as mothers and be at the fore front of the course towards actualising peaceful coexistence.

The Administrator of Jema’a local government, Alhaji Yusuf Mu’azu, commended the women for the support given to government towards ensuring mediation for peace in their respective communities.

In a related development, as a way out of the daunting insecurity in the country occasioned by activities of herdsmen, cultism, armed robbery and other vices, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called for a strong collaboration between governments at the federal, state and local government levels including religious and traditional institutions.

Edo State Director of NOA, Mrs. Grace Ewere Eseka stated this at a one-day sensitization campaign in Ubiaja, headquarters of Esan South East local government area of the state.

She said there was need for harmonious peaceful co-existence irrespective of ethnic and religious diversities and called on all Nigerians to support the peace building effort by ensuring peace and security reign in their communities.

She enjoined citizens to report any breach of the law to security agencies or take advantage of the traditional and religious institutions in seeking redress. She admonished everyone to mutually promote peace in their neighbourhoods and between various communities across the country.

Eseka stated that war and its consequences are avoidable and charged all and sundry to deliberately intentionally and consciously work against such tragedy in their domains.