NCGF blasts FG, MURIC over Kukah’s essay

Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship (NCGF) has cautioned the Federal Government, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), and Arewa youths against inciting violence in the country.

NCGF described MURIC’s insinuation that Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, was promoting the idea of a coup against the Muhammadu Buhari administration as a ploy to cause havoc in the country.

In a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday, the NCGF President, Professor Chuks Eboka, noted: “The NCGF wishes to state unequivocally, and without any fear of contradiction, that after a careful reading of the full text of the Christmas homily of Bishop Kukah, we did not find in it anything that suggests a call for a coup against the government of President Buhari or that was denigrating to Islam.

“The homily entitled ‘A Nation in Search of Vindication’ contains absolutely nothing that could be considered an affront to Islam or even vaguely suggestive of a call that a coup is staged against the Buhari-led government.”

According to him, what Kukah did was to draw Nigerians’ attention to the alarming and deteriorating state of security in the country under Buhari’s watch, and the apparent abdication of the responsibility to protect the life and property as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

He added: “A few days ago, the President said that only God could secure Nigeria’s border with the Niger Republic. NCGF is in full support of Kukah’s position and considers what he did a worthy duty to perform as a responsible and concerned citizen who is never afraid to speak truth to power.

“We regret that rather than the government pays attention to the serious issues consistently raised by Kukah, MURIC, Arewa youths and their cohorts have chosen, instead, to demonise the bishop and suggest that he be charged with treason. This is in stark contrast to the response to other individuals and bodies, including from the North, that have equally expressed serious concern about the state of the nation, with some of them going as far as calling for the resignation of President Buhari.”

None of these has been accused of committing a treasonable offence – including members of Miyetti Allah that have openly and brazenly threatened the Nigerian state and its citizens.”