Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has admitted that the fear of Islamisation of the country is real as the constitution laid foundation for it, calling for an urgent review of the country’s constitution.
The constitution, according to CAN, gives certain privileges to the Islamic religion, ahead of others.
The group said fundamental errors in the constitution were uncalled for and must be corrected in the spirit of equity and fairness, insisting equal treatment of all Nigerians.
It cautioned groups within Christendom to desist from misinforming the people ahead of its Presidential election and advised them to resort to CAN constitution on the guidelines for election to avoid overheating the polity and exposing the lives of CAN leadership to danger.
Addressing journalists in Jos on Sunday, Evangelist Samuel Kwamkur, CAN National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, who spoke on diverse issues, lamented the ignorance which allowed leadership of the body to be lambasted by people who have no idea about the workings of CAN.
Kwamkur said: “On planned Fulanization or Islamization, CAN believes that the foundation for Islamisation of Nigeria has since been laid by the makers of the Nigerian Constitution and some previous leaders of Nigeria.
”Particular examples are the provisions made in the Constitution for the operation of Sharia laws and courts.
“This makes the common law and the sharia law to be operating in the same constitution. This naturally has divided the nation into two and sets the tone for Islamization. The implication of this scenario is confusion.
”Furthermore, as we have said before, the registration of Nigeria, (a secular state) as a member of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, by military fiat is a further confirmation of deliberate Islamization of the country. This calls for review if our leaders are sincere with their claim that nobody is islamising the country.
“We commend sincerely the position of the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, for opening up against the planned Islamization of Nigeria. The former President simply repeated what many of our CAN leaders have said before.
”We had even taken this in written form to the Presidency for immediate attention. If what Obasanjo said should be doubted, what is the justification for community cleansing by killer herdsmen who jump on innocent communities in the night killing them and taking over their communities?
“We never saw any far reaching steps taken to bring these killer herdsmen to book! What is the justification for the Federal Government’s effort to create and maintain cattle routes or colony for herders, despite their level of impunity?
”How can you justify the Federal Government’s establishment of a radio station for Fulani? (Though this is being denied recently, that it was established for nomadic education)
“Why can’t strict security measures that silenced the IPOB in few days be taken against Boko Haram and killer herdsmen? We cannot for many years claim that our borders are porous and nothing is done about it. Nigeria cannot afford to be losing her citizens for years because we have an uncontrolled border.”
“For some years now, the Church has been deeply concerned about the state of the nation regarding the increase and expansion of the activities of insurgencies, armed bandits, armed robbery, kidnappers, killer herdsmen, which seemed to have continued unabated.
”We expect the government to be bold enough to take responsibility and be sincere in providing convincing, lasting solutions.
“The situation where government denies the increasing rate of insecurity while the security budget keeps swelling, with increase in casualties among the security operatives, increase in number of victims and cry by communities, is worrisome and calls for serious reflections.
”We advocate further the creation of state police as the major solution to ending this communities’ invasions by so called unknown gunmen.
“The inability of the Federal Government to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu and other abducted victims of Boko Haram gives us sleeplessness. One of the cardinal promises of President Buhari’s administration is the end to the reign of terrorism and to ensure the release of captured victims of insurgents.
”But the first tenure ended without achieving maximally such result. We pray and hope that President Buhari will do everything within his ability to achieve this goal if he is to be taken more seriously.”
