NCSCN dismisses genocide against Christians allegation
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has countered allegations of genocide against Christians in the country by terrorists. The organisation noted that the impression being created within the country and international community that terrorist and bandit activities are targeted mostly at Christians and Christian Communities is both erroneous and misleading. It added that […]
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has countered allegations of genocide against Christians in the country by terrorists.
The organisation noted that the impression being created within the country and international community that terrorist and bandit activities are targeted mostly at Christians and Christian Communities is both erroneous and misleading.
It added that available records to the Civil Society showed that Muslims and Islamic Communities are equally affected and may even have more casualties and affected families.
The Council said this in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting attended by over 310 associations representing both Christian and Muslim groups, traditional rulers etc in Abuja.
The Communique was co – signed by Oscar David Kalu, Chairman; Alhaji Gambo Suliema Haruna, Representative of Media Organisations; Mutaka Ibrahim Ghali representative of Muslim Organisations; Peter Ihekiedime, representative of Christian Organisations; Hajiya Hadiza Ibrahim Garba, member; Jessica Paul, member and Lawal Tosin, member.
The US has threatened to deploy its forces in Nigeria over allegations of killings of Christians by terrorist groups.
The NCSCN said that the absence of an authentic and accessible database on statistics of victims of terrorists and bandit attacks in Nigeria, as it concerns gender, age and religion, has resulted in unverifiable claims and speculations.
“That the impression being created within the country and international community that terrorist and bandit activities are targeted mostly at Christians and Christian Communities is both erroneous and misleading, as available records to the Civil Society clearly shows that Muslims and Islamic Communities are equally affected and may even have more casualties and affected families.
“That the Civil Society observes deliberate politicisation of the state of insecurity in the country and a subtle overheating of the polity by politicians, fueling the situation and perverting narrations to gain advantages over each other.
“The Foreign Relations and Policies of a country is crucial to its National Development, therefore, the Nigerian Government must not take the current situation of accusation of Christian Genocide for granted. The assertions from the International Community, especially America, must be handled professionally, with the highest level of diplomacy and caution, by confronting the matter with verifiable facts and figures,” the communique read in part.
It urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the appointment of ambassadors and international lobbyists to safeguard Nigeria’s interests and promote the country’s growth and development.
“In addition, running a nation for over two years without Ambassadors to nations is both unthinkable and highly detrimental to any Government. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must know that no reason is good enough or can well justify the inability of his Administration to appoint Ambassador after two years in Government,” the communique said.
The Council also urged the Federal Government to urgently convene an Inter-Religious Dialogue on the Christian Genocide issue, deploying the Organised Civil Society to set the records straight and douse mounting tension across the federation.
According to the Council, the federal government through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) should urgently commence proper documentation and harmonisation of data on terrorist and bandit attacks, to enable accurate information dissemination and reduce speculations and wrong narrations as currently going on within International community over Christian genocide.