Stop Hate Treatment to Stop Hate Speech, Not By Intimidation-Northern Christian Group Tells Buhari
A group the Voice of Northern Christian Movement of Nigeria, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop hate treatment in his government in order to stop hate speech in the country.
In a petition dated 13th February, 2018 and signed by Pastor Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, the Executive Director of the group, it said; “Your Excellency, the present happenings in and around Nigeria as regards killings instigated by hatred and discrimination based on religion and ethnicity has prompted your administration to take some measures with a view to nib this ugly menace in the bud is quite commendable and it is a step taken in the right direction.
“Indeed, Nigerians need to be encouraged to live in peace with one another irrespective of religion, ethnic, regional or tribal background hence the effort by your administration to guard against utterances that tend or may cause crisis in the country.
“However, we would like to state in categorical terms that the issue of peace or peaceful co-existence among citizens from different background cannot be achieved by use of force of intimidation. Our orientation as citizen must be changed and geared towards attaining our goal of becoming a greater nation.
The group also hinted in the petition titled; “Stop Hate Treatment In Your Government To Stop Hate Speech In Nigeria: Not By Intimidation,” reads thus;“First and foremost we would like to state that Nigeria belongs to the entire citizens and all of us deserve to be treated equally and as citizens without discrimination. Our organization has written series of correspondence to the office of the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) wherein we recounted concerted efforts made by our organizations in supporting your election as President of Nigeria. In the letter dated 31st October, 2017 we stated clearly with sufficient proofs how we whole heartedly supported you to win the 2015 general election. We also wrote a reminder on 7th December, 2017.
“However, our passionate appeal to your great party for Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians to be considered appointments into political offices was not heeded to. As an organization representing Christians in the Northern Nigeria and networking with the larger Christian body across the country, we have been discriminated against and forgotten by your administration.
“On all the occasions mentioned above, the APC Chairman magnanimously referred to the National Secretary of the APC (Maim Mala Buni) who is a Kanuri Muslim and because of religious discrimination, no action was taken; it has gone down the drains.
Read The Full Petition Below:
STOP HATE TREATMENT IN YOUR GOVERNMENT TO STOP HATE SPEECH IN NIGERIA: NOT BY INTIMIDATION
Your Excellency, the present happenings in and around Nigeria as regards killings instigated by hatred and discrimination based on religion and ethnicity has prompted your administration to take some measures with a view to nib this ugly menace in the bud is quite commendable and it is a step taken in the right direction.
Indeed, Nigerians need to be encouraged to live in peace with one another irrespective of religion, ethnic, regional or tribal background hence the effort by your administration to guard against utterances that tend or may cause crisis in the country.
However, we would like to state in categorical terms that the issue of peace or peaceful co-existence among citizens from different background cannot be achieved by use of force of intimidation. Our orientation as citizen must be changed and geared towards attaining our goal of becoming a greater nation.
First and foremost we would like to state that Nigeria belongs to the entire citizens and all of us deserve to be treated equally and as citizens without discrimination. Our organization has written series of correspondence to the office of the National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC) wherein we recounted concerted efforts made by our organizations in supporting your election as President of Nigeria. In the letter dated 31st October, 2017 we stated clearly with sufficient proofs how we whole heartedly supported you to win the 2015 general election. We also wrote a reminder on 7th December, 2017.
However, our passionate appeal to your great party for Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians to be considered appointments into political offices was not heeded to. As an organization representing Christians in the Northern Nigeria and networking with the larger Christian body across the country, we have been discriminated against and forgotten by your administration.
On all the occasions mentioned above, the APC Chairman magnanimously referred to the National Secretary of the APC (Maim Mala Buni) who is a Kanuri Muslim and because of religious discrimination, no action was taken; it has gone down the drains.
“Arewa” is a term that in its literal meaning means north but in Nigeria it was later assumed to imply “any person from Northern Nigeria”. Over time these meanings have gradually changed. As it is today if you are not a Muslim you are not an Arewa person even if you are Hausa or Fulani from Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara States. It is therefore not surprising that to a typical Hausa Fulani and Kanuri Muslim, Christians generally are not “Arewa” people.
Mr. President, whenever there is discriminatory treatment, there is bound to be hate speech. In a democratic society, every section that is unjustly discriminated against is aggrieved and the slightest voice about the ill treatment meted out may be considered as hate speech. We implore you Mr. President to use your good office to always listen to the grievances of the minority in the society so that they can be carried along.
Secondly, Mr. President we would like to inform you that we had written to the Former Speaker as well as the Former President of Senate in respect of this same subject matter (Hate Speech). The copies of the said letters are attached for your perusal. We had even buttressed our claims with video evidence but till date nothing has been done about it.
It has now become a norm in Northern Nigeria for Muslims to freely abduct Christian girls that have not reached the age of maturity and take them to Sharia Courts and forcefully marry them out to Muslims without the consent of their parents. Even if parents of these vulnerable girls protest, the Sharia Courts in its characteristics will disregard them. One of such happened in Alkaleri Local Government of Bauchi State where a girl called Maryam Lakodong was abducted by Alh. Magaji Gobirwa and a Sharia Court presided over by an Area Court Judge, Alkali Musas Moh’d Ginsa, joined Maryam and Gobirawa as husband and wife without the consent of her parents. Her parents challenged his decision at the Appeal Court in Jos, Plateau State and judgement was passed on Wednesday, 9th November, 2016. The Hon. Judge, Justice Joseph Tur, ordered the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Attorney General and Commissioner of justice to return Maryam to her parents but nothing has been done till date.
The same thing happened in Niger state to two families (1) Family of Pastor Uzoechina. Their daughter Christy was abducted to the palace of the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, and the family of Mr. Habila Gambo.
In Erana district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State on the 16-03-2017, a Sharia Court forcefully joined their daughter, Janet and Nasiru as husband and wife without her parents’ consent. Now you can see how the Muslims from the North use Sharia Courts to Islamize Christian ladies. This must stop.
Our letters to the President of the Senate dated 4th July, 2011 and 24th October, 2011 were referred to the Chairman, Senate Committee on national Security and Intelligence for necessary action. The then Chairman, Senator Mohammed Magoro who is a Muslim and from Kebbi State failed to carry out any action and till date nothing has been done about it.
Furthermore, on 6th may 2013, we wrote a letter to the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) where we gave detailed analysis about the advent Boko Haram and their operations in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. In the said letter we drew the attention of the President to some Governors in the North who supported Islamic groups with public funds in order to carry out their nefarious activities. These Governors include Senator Adamu Aliero (Former Governor of Kebbi State), Alh. Abdulkadir Kure (Former late Governor of Niger State) and a host of others.
However, it appears our genuine efforts have been thrown to the gutters, no action taken to even verify our assertions.
In the letter mentioned above, we mentioned names of some Muslim clerics such as Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, Sheikh Abubakar Gero, Sheikh Sanusi Khalit, Mallam Isa Ibrahim Ali Patania. These clerics promote hate speech and always motivate their adherents to kill Christians are well known to security agencies. We submitted copies of CD plates of their teachings and recommended that they should be arrested and brought to book.
When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became President of Nigeria in 1999, he appointed Lt. General T.YT Danjuma as minister of defence. Late Major Gen. Victor Malu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Vice Marshal J.D Wuyep, Rear Admiral Samuel Afolayan and many others at that time. The then Governor of Zamfara State, Sani Yarima Bakura, told the world that Muslims will fight because the Muslims don’t have Senior Officers in the Nigerian Army. According to Yarima, Gen. T.Y Danjuma, Late Gen. Victor Malu and the rest are not core northerners. Governor Yarima and his colleagues raised N100 million naira to strengthen Islamic groups in the Country to serve as political thugs during the 2003 elections. The ultimate aim of this agenda is to ensure that Muslims fight Christians to achieve their political agenda. Yarima Bakura, while receiving Sheikh Mohammad Salga, the National Chairman of Fitiyau Islam, and other delegates in his office during a courtesy call on July 16, 2001, incited and brainwashed his visitors (Islamic leaders). He claimed that Christian leaders met in Enugu where they agreed that Christian Governors should be installed in all states that have Christian’s majority. While in states with Christian Minority Muslims would be selected and supported by the Christians.
In order to be well-equipped for the assignment an Islamic organization, the Izala aid group held fundraising where three northern governors Alh. Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) the Late Abdulkadir Kure (Niger) and Sani Yarima Bakura (Zamfara) agreed to assist the group who would serve as foot soldiers for Islam. The governors on behalf of their northern colleagues pledged a donation of 100 million each of working equipment for the foot soldiers of Islam was discussed and a further donation of N25 million was promised to Fitiyau Islam while N10 million was raised.
THE WEEKLY TREASURER 3: 2001 reported it, but nobody, Government or Security Agencies came out to challenge the governors. Then Kaduna, Plateau, Kano, Jigawa States Muslims youths started attacking churches and killing Christians. Where there was an election which did not favour the Muslims, their youths will attack churches and Christian homes. They never go to INEC or political party offices to burn down the political party or INEC offices and the government did not arrest even one person. Book haram in February 18, 2006 burnt down 56 Churches apart from shops owned by Christians; men and women, innocent children were killed. The then Governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff was fully aware because on that very day these dastardly acts were carried out, the Governor was going around Maiduguri, but he did not alert the security agencies to stop the acts.
In the letter mentioned above, names of some Muslim clerics such as Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, Sheikh Abubakar Gero, Sheikh Sanusi Khalit, Mallam Isa Ibrahim Ali Pantami, were mentioned. These clerics who promote hate speech and always incited and motivate their adherents to kill Christians are well known to security agencies.
We have notice that one of the above mentioned person’s Mallam Isa Ibrahim Ali Patami has been given a political position in this government.
Recently, killings of innocent citizens instigated by hated speech have become prevalent in Nigeria and it seems government has done so little to bring it to an end.
On the Fulani herdsmen killings in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau and Kaduna States in the Country, we see the planned grazing colonies being contemplated by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a subtle ploy to legitimize and settle foreign Fulani herdsmen who will be used by Islamists to prosecute jihad in Nigeria.
We have, and had always had indigenous Fulanis who were never as vicious and as daring as these Murders. When did the population of the Fulani herdsmen and their cattle grow so much to the point of scampering for space to graze cattle, given the huge expanse of grass land in Nigeria?
Why is the Federal Government paying special attention to this source of livelihood which is purely individualistic?
The recent comments of the Minister of Defense, Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd) and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris on Benue and Taraba States governors’ that anti-grazing reserves law brought all these killings. There are some states; Adamawa, Kaduna, Plateau and Zamfara, where no anti-grazing reserve law are in place, but Fulani herdsmen continually kill innocent Nigerian farmers. Why are these security chiefs covering the truth?
Government officials including members of your cabinet are culpable as far as the issue of hate speech is concern.
We want the Federal Government of Nigeria to know that we cannot be intimidated by the so-called hate speech committee or any of the security agencies. Hate treatment and hate speech cannot be combated by the use of force. The root cause must be utterly dealt with decisively.
We also want the Federal Government of Nigeria to know that intimidation is not the answer; neither can the use of excessive force solve this ugly trend.
We therefore, recommend that the Federal Government of Nigeria should immediately take necessary actions against promoters of hate treatment and hate speech by arresting them and bringing them to book. The Federal Government must be proactive in its approach.
We the Voice of Northern Christian Movement of Nigeria sacrificed our lives, time and resources in support of the Buhari/Osinbajo bid during the 2015 electioneering campaign for 3 reasons when you Gen. Muhammadu Buhari met with:
Catholic Bishops of Nigeria during your 2015 campaign promise that if God gives you Buhari) power, you are going to treat Christians and Muslims in the Country equally.
Fight Boko Haram insurgents including sponsors; and
Fight corruption to free Nigeria from corrupt leaders.
Mr. President Sir, we urged you to address these issues to clear the minds of Nigerians that you are nobody, but you are for everybody as you promised.
Your Excellency, we also demand to stop the continue killings and attacks on minority Christian areas of the Northern Nigerian by the so-called Fulani herdsmen. Must stop. We call the president to stop the killing in the following areas; (1) In Numan Federation Southern Adamawa (2) Entire Benue State (3) Entire Taraba State (4) Entire Plateau State and (5) Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State in 48 hours. Enough is enough! We further call on the President Buhari to come out and show Nigerians that he is not bias by publicly speaking out for the peace and unity of our dear Nation. He should say truth by condemning the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria and ensuring the perpetrators of the killings face the wrath of the law. Mr. President, as it stands, your continuous silence and reluctance about the current state of security in Northern Nigeria speaks volumes about your biasness and hatred for minority Christians in Nigeria.
Lastly, we are calling for international community to observe the attitude of Federal Government of Nigeria in handling the killings of innocent Nigerian masses (Farmers) by the so-called Fulani herdsmen and also international community to declare Fulani herdsmen murders as terrorist group because we did not see any reason for Fulani Herdsmen to continually kill innocent Farmers.
A stitch in time saves nine!
We have documents and CD plates to buttress our claims.
