The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Dr Bulus Yohanna, has appealed to the Kambari, Fulani and Bargawa communities in Agwara and Borgu local councils of Niger State to sheath their swords and end the cycle of violence, killings and destruction in the area.

Similarly, the Secretary of the Borno State chapter of CAN, Joshua Akeredolu, has tasked Muslim and Christian leaders on religious harmony and peaceful coexistence in their various communities and the country at large.

Akeredolu, who addressed an interfaith religious leaders gathering yesterday as part of activities marking his episcopal consecration as the sixth leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church in Maiduguri, said religious harmony could ensure peaceful coexistence, stressing that religious tolerance among followers is essential for sustainable development.

Speaking against the recent clashes in parts of the Borgu Emirate, which reportedly claimed dozens of lives and displaced hundreds of residents, Yohanna, who is also the Chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), urged the warring communities to allow the government and security agencies to address their grievances and restore peace.

In a statement, he noted that the affected ethnic groups had co-existed peacefully for decades before the recent escalation of violence. Therefore, he urged them “not to allow the bad eggs who have infiltrated their once peaceful communities to cause disaffection among them.

He urged residents to work closely with security agencies to identify and expose criminal elements and informants allegedly operating within their communities, rather than resorting to reprisal attacks.

Furthermore, he urged the Emir of Borgu, Muhammed Dantoro, to establish peace and conflict-resolution committees that would provide a platform for the different ethnic groups to dialogue, address their grievances and resolve disputes fairly.

For his part, Akeredolu explained that the event was aimed at bringing Christians and Muslims together to discuss peace, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence in the state, adding that his philosophy was that humanity should come before religious differences, and that people should first recognise one another as God’s creations.

Also speaking, the Jumaat Imam of the Central Mosque, Federal Government College, Maiduguri, Ali Isah, said Borno’s experience in over a decade of insurgency had underscored the importance of religious harmony and peaceful co-existence.

According to him, clerics from both religions have made their followers aware of the importance of peace, especially in Borno, because of terrorism, extremism and others. He explained that for that reason, they came together to enlighten the people.

Isah stressed that both Christianity and Islam promote peace and do not sanction violence or extremism.