I’ll treat all Nigerians fairly, says President
The leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), northern Nigeria chapter yesterday met with President Muhammadu Buhari to seek his intervention in the reported abductions and forced marriages of underage Christian girls by some traditional rulers and emirs in the country.
The visit was led by the CAN Chairman in the zone, Rev. Yakubu Pam.
This followed the controversy on the reported abduction and forced marriage of a 14-year-old Christian girl, Habiba Isiyaku in Katsina.
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Buhari, while receiving the clerics said he would treat all Nigerians equitably.
He also pledged to restore peace to all parts of the country.
A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said: “President Buhari urged the clerics to promote religious harmony “by enhancing understanding among different faiths.”
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Rev. Pam said the delegation appealed to the president to prevail on other northern leaders to adopt the legal process in contracting marriages.
Apart from the difficulties faced by Christians while practising their faith in the north, other concerns raised by the delegation was the incessant attacks on farmers and invasion of farmlands by Fulani herdsmen.
Pam disclosed: “The president’s response to the demands of the delegation was positive as he promised us he was going to look into them.”
“We came to the president to tell him some of the challenges northern Christians are passing through. One of these is that we are having difficulties in expressing our faith in that part of the country. We also told him the problems created by Fulani herdsmen.
“The farmers need to be protected. We told the president that we have been encouraging our youths to go into farming but they need to be protected.
“We also discussed the issue of abduction of underage girls in the zone. In some northern states, some young girls and children are being abducted at 12 years old and the parents will just hear that they have been married to traditional rulers and emirs.
“These were the issues we discussed with the president.”
