Kukah, Uche make case for Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, and the Prelate of the Methodist Church (Nigeria), Dr. Samuel Uche, have lamented that the Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu are still in the hands of their captors while another Christmas is celebrated.

Kukah, in his Christmas message, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promise four years that he would rescue the Chibok girls.

He said: “Over four years ago, the president said that without rescuing the Chibok girls, we cannot claim to have won the war against Boko Haram. There seemed to be some enthusiasm then. Today, the Chibok girls have transformed from girls to women in the hands of their evil captors.

“After a lot of grandstanding, it seems that their fate has proved to be nothing more than the subject of political transaction and exchange. Their families received a harvest of promises. Their fate and hopes for a rescue have receded. Add to this the fate of Leah Sharibu and you will feel the sword of pain driven even deeper into the heart of our nation. Evil cannot have the last say because as the holy book says, there is a time for weeping and a time for laughter (Ecc. 3:4). We must renew our hope that all is not lost.”

Dr. Uche condemned the attack on former President Goodluck Jonathan, as well as the killing of a soldier and three civilians, describing it as wicked.

He cautioned those fanning the ember of division with their saying that Nigeria would be Islamised to desist from that.

“I don’t see Nigeria being islamised. I don’t see that even from the Federal Government; rather, I see bags of rice with portraits of the president and his wife being distributed to Christians at Christmas. I don’t think that the man means anything ugly for this country. But those around him may be fanning the ember of such division.”

The prelate urged Nigerians not to instigate third world war in Nigeria because “if you touch Islamic people, Islamic world will come; and if you touch Christians, Christian world will come. As such third world war may result in Nigeria and I don’t pray for that. But we should all be careful.”