President Goodluck Jonathan| credits: File copy
The
pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum,
and the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria have appealed to the
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta not to attack mosques
and Islamic clerics.
They said in separate reactions to
MEND’s threat that doing so would worsen the already precarious
security situation in the country.
The group had on Sunday said it would
from May 31 attack mosques and Islamic clerics, who preach hate
messages to their followers. It said the attacks were meant to save
Christians from Boko Haram.
But the ACF, through its National
Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani,advised MEND to reconsider its
position in favour of assisting the present administration to bring
about peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
Sani, in an interview with one of our
correspondents in Kaduna, said, “I hope you in the media also know
the security challenges posed by insurgents, kidnappers, armed robbers
and MEND. Do not help anybody, including the youth who relish in the
use of violence in order to address their perceived grievances.
“This is because violence, rather than
advance the socio-economic development of any country, acts as a drag
on advancement. So, it is not in the interest of anybody to promote
violence as a culture in the polity, since violence begets violence.
“I therefore advise MEND to reconsider
its position in favour of helping this administration to bring about
peace in Nigeria rather than presiding over a divided people.”
Also, the Communications Director,
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ralph Madu, urged MEND not
to do anything that could thwart the effort of the committee set up by
President Goodluck Jonathan on the Boko Haram insurgency to make the
sect members lay down their arms.
He said, “We know that attacking mosques
and religious places of worship will aggravate the problem on the
ground. We want peace in this country; let MEND drop their arms and
machetes and embrace peace so that there will be a lasting peace in this
country.
“All these provoked and unprovoked
reactions won’t solve the problems. The Presidency has set up a
committee to look into some of these things. Let us give the President
some chance. Who wants MEND to start burning down the whole place? Did
anybody say that? They should cease fire if at all there is fire.
Although people have been very much aggrieved with the way Christians
are being killed in this country, we need peace.”
Also on Monday, security experts joined
the ACF and CSN in calling MEND not to cause another civil war by
carrying out its threat.
A former Lagos State Commissioner of
Police, Alhaji AbubakarTsav, and an ex-Security Adviser to Rivers State
Governor, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, said that the militant group must
realise that the Federal Government was already over-stretched by Boko
Haram attacks.
Tsav, in a telephone interview with one
of our correspondents, warned that any attack by MEND on Islamic
centres would embarrass President Goodluck Jonathan and push the nation
to the edge.
He called on the government to prevail on the militant group not to carry out its threat.
Tsav said, “Boko Haram and MEND attacks
have already over-stretched Jonathan and so, MEND should not
precipitate another civil war by launching attacks on mosques and
Muslims because it was not only Muslims that were affected by Boko Haram
attacks; the government should go ahead with the amnesty plan for Boko
Haram because the government laid a precedent by granting amnesty to
Niger Delta militants.”
Sara-Igbe said even though the Niger
Delta people were not happy that the Federal Government had not done
much to fulfil their yearnings, they would not encourage violence or
terrorism in any part of the country.
He said, “There is resentment in the
Niger Delta because Jonathan has not done anything for the people; but
we will not encourage violence or terrorism by MEND; any attack by MEND
on Islamic targets will lead to another civil war and we will not
encourage that.”
Meanwhile, the Northern Elders Forum
has insisted that only “honest and productive dialogues” would douse
the tension between Boko Haram and the Federal Government.
The NEF said this in a statement
read by its spokesperson, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, after its special
meeting in Abuja on the current security situation in the country.
It appealed to both parties to remain flexible in the face of agitation for “full reconciliation.”
The meeting was convened to discuss the proposed amnesty for insurgents in the North.
It was attended by 42 retired senior judicial, security/intelligence officers and technocrats.
Abdullahi said that the meeting also
appealed to both the government and insurgents to remain flexible to new
ideas and suggestions by people of goodwill from within and outside
the country.
He said, “The meeting noted the need for
the conduct of the dialogue and achievement of full reconciliation in
the atmosphere that encourages the building of confidence in the
integrity process. All Nigerians have a responsibility to encourage the
government and the insurgents to engage in honest and productive
dialogues.
“The meeting notes and endorses the
suggestion that the Federal Government should set up a Dialogue and
Reconciliation Commission which will have full powers to facilitate,
ultimately, full resolution of this conflict.”
