Kaduna killings: CAN tears El-Rufai apart over threat to arrest Dunamis Pastor, Enenche
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has expressed worried over alleged threats in some online media by governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai on his determination to get the Founder and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enrnche arraign in Kaduna over alleged hate speech.
Governor Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai allegedly claimed that Dr Paul Enenche’s hate speech escalated the recent killings that rocked Kasuwan Magani on October 18, 2018 that was followed by the assassination of the Agom Adara, Dr Maiwada Galadima on October 26, 2018.
CAN, in a statement through the Special Assistant, Media and Communication to CAN President, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji said, “The attention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been drawn to a threat issued by Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai of Kaduna State in some online news media over his determination to get the Founder and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche arraigned in Kaduna over “hate speech” that he allegedly claimed escalated recent killings that rocked Kasuwan Magani on October 18, 2018 that was followed by the assassination of the Agom Adara, Dr Maiwada Raphael Galadima, on October 26, 2018.”
The statement observed, “While CAN abhors hate speech in whatever form, it is becoming very difficult to determine what constitutes “hate speech” and who should be responsible for assessing what constitutes the hate speech. It has become much difficult to know whose speech is to be regarded as hate speech and which speech should not.
“We have carefully read the threat by Governor El-Rufai and his claim to know who is responsible for the “hate speech” that promoted the crises in Kaduna State and his vow to get Pastor Enenche arrested and prosecuted in Kaduna State.
“We have also examined the video clip of the Pastor and are abreast of all the facts concerning the Kasuwan Magani killings, among others.
“The main subject of Dr Enenche’s clip which Governor el-Rufai is alleging to be a “hate speech” to us is an outright condemnation of the fate that has befallen the Adara people and Christians in Southern Kaduna through the creation of new emirates namely; Lere, Kagarko and Kujuru. By the creation of these emirates, especially that of Kajuru, the Adara people have been subjugated.”
“From a careful study of the speech, Pastor Enenche is not the originator of what he spoke about. He said; “ about the middle of this year we heard a Christian first class Chief, that they were told from the news report we heard…” hence the video, he was speaking about was what he read or heard from the news.”
CAN said while it continues to condemn hate speech by religious leaders and other Nigerians, it added, “We cannot stand and watch our respected leaders being set up for molestation, humiliation and prosecution for an unfounded “hate speech.”
“We have also followed the speeches of Governor El-Rufai and have felt strongly that he has been engaged in making inciting speeches, but several efforts deployed to draw his attention have been fruitless.
“His statement that his government had paid herdsmen to stop the killing in his State without any due compensation to the victims of attacks is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians. The questions in the minds of the church is; why is it very easy for government to identify those lamenting over the unabated killings of Christians in Kaduna and other states in the middle belt for persecution?
“Why is it easy by government to seek to apprehend and prosecute the crying victims and almost an impossible task to bring killers to justice? Why is it easier for the El-Rufai government to know and get “the agents of careless statement…” but most expensive and almost impossible for him to identify the Kaduna killing agents despite years of such continuous killings? Have the killers of Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, been apprehended? How long will it take the Governor El-Rufai to apprehend them?
“Any attempt to arrest and harass any of our pastors again will be considered as an attempt to silence the voice of the Church and reasoning in our nation.
“Let the government defines clearly the difference between what is considered hate speech and advocacy for dying victims of continuous killings in Nigeria. What do you expect from a church leader whose members and fellow citizens are being killed daily without any satisfactory measures to abate the killings? Are we to keep clapping for government while people are being massacred in cold blood?”
CAN explained, “While we appreciate the fact that no government will want her citizens to be killed, we will admonish Governor El-Rufai to channel his strength towards getting the sponsors and perpetrators of the heinous crimes going on in Kaduna State arrested and prosecuted rather than chasing good Nigerians who are contributing immensely to the peace, growth and development of the nation.
“We will encourage the police not to be distracted by those who are after hunting innocent Nigerians but to be focused on getting criminals who are wasting the lives and property of innocent Nigerians with the view of arresting and punishing them and averting further polarization of the nation.
“The polity is already heated up and polarised along ethnic and religious divides. All of us in leadership have had an inappropriate news item carried or published about us before; it is part of the burden of leadership.”
The leadership of CAN noted that the best that could be done in such a circumstance was for the governor to debunk inaccurate news items like he has done.
“On the basis of the above, we again caution that care must be taken in handling what Pastor Paul Enenche read which he wanted people to pray over.
“The idea of making Christians endangered species must stop for the sake of peace and unity of this country. We have had enough of troubles in this nation in the past years. We deserve to have our peace,” CAN explained.
Abuja Three Years Without Bombs And Still Counting
By Lilian Nwachukwu
I sat in anxiety as the yuletide season approached us. Thoughts ran riots in my head. I played out many scenarios as regards the likelihood of a disruption of the festive season by men of the underworld, as in times past. I refreshed my memory to the bomb blasts the rocked previous years on Christmas day and in churches and recreational centres in the FCT and its environs. I could only but nod my head in absolute disbelief.
Disbelief you might want to ask. Yes, I meant every bit of the word disbelief because of how time flies and indeed how when there is a will, there would always be a way. I counted three with my fingers (2016, 2017 and 2018) and not a single disruption of the yuletide season in Abuja. Not a single bomb detonated anywhere. There was no uproar amongst merry seekers in recreational spots all around the FCT and its environs. People went about their normal businesses without fear. This is unprecedented.
I have longed told all that cared to listen that God indeed loves Nigeria. The outcome of the 2015 elections that produced the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was indeed a divine intervention in my opinion. I believe the discerning minds would agree with. It is also not by accident that we have had three consecutive years of peace and tranquillity in the festive season in Abuja. And it is also not luck. Some people somewhere have paid the price, and this brings me to the very essence of this piece.
In some quarters, some have always questioned the constitutional role of the Nigeria Army in the sustenance of peace in any given society. They have also erroneously believed that the role of the army in Nigeria should and always be confined to the barracks. They haven’t given a thought that the enthronement of internal security and peace falls within the purview of the Nigeria Army. And this much they have strived to achieve from time immemorial. But the last three years have seen a more proactive and robust Nigeria Army in the enthronement of internal security and peace in Nigeria, and Abuja is just a case study.
If anyone told me some four years ago that there would be such a time where the security architecture in Abuja would be top-notch that people would go about their various business without fear, I would doubt it because of the reign of terror that has accompanied festive periods in the FCT. This fact is corroborated with the way and manner many people relocated from Abuja due to the high level of insecurity. I recall I stumbled on a piece written by a former Abuja resident who had to relocate in the wake on the high level of uncertainty but recently returned to Abuja.
As mentioned earlier, these things didn’t happen by chance, somewhere and somehow the price was paid just like Jesus Christ paid the price for us sinners on the cross of Calvary. If no one gave credit to President Muhammadu Buhari, I would give him high credit. If no one would also appreciate the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, I and my household would appreciate him. Some might be wondering why I am particular about President Muhammadu Buhari and Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai. Some might also be wondering what it was a spectacular thing that they have done to deserve such high praises. But I would say that, and just like I have always said that the solution to the myriads of challenges facing Nigeria is when our political leaders exhibit that political will. And once that is done, there would always be a way.
And one of such ways that President Muhammadu Buhari has exhibited a political will is in the appointment of the service chiefs, especially that of the Nigeria Army, which has never been so engaged in the enthronement of internal security in the annals of the country as in the past three years. In the past three years, the Nigeria Army has stretched beyond the elastic limit with various operations around the country simultaneously. But yet it didn’t flop. From the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorist in North East Nigeria to the militant Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in South East, and others too numerous to mention. The Nigeria Army has stayed true to its constitutional responsibility.
They have sacrificed their all to keep the country safe and secured. They have decimated the Boko Haram, even at great sacrifice with the number of casualties recorded. While this is unfortunate, it just goes with the terrain in warfare situations. They have also kept other violent groups in check. They have done quite a lot to keep the country safe and secured. And like I mentioned earlier, when there is a will, there would always be a way.
In my opinion, the best we can do in the very circumstances is to continually remind the troops that they are the real national heroes of Nigeria. And their sacrifices would never be in vain. For every night they patrol and lie in trenches keeping watch over us as we go to sleep, for the long days and months they spend away from their families and loved ones, every tears they shed for Nigeria, the majority of Nigeria and Nigerians would forever appreciate. It is only those that are ignorant that would not see this great work. And it also those that are myopic that would not agree that indeed President Muhammadu Buhari is God sent to rescue Nigeria from the brinks of collapse. If not for anything, let us learn to call a spade and spade in Nigeria. This is just a word of encouragement to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and his soldiers.
Nwachukwu is President, African Mothers of Virtue.
Pro-democracy group berates PDP, others for politicizing national security
Leading pro-democracy group, National Democratic Front has berated the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over calls for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Service Chiefs as a clear attempt to pollute the national security architecture with bad politics.
According to the group, the inglorious attempts by politicians to drag the service Chiefs into politics is not good for our democracy and should be discouraged by all Nigerians.
The group wondered why a party like the PDP who created all the troubles in Nigeria will forget its locust years and suddenly wake up to start hauling tantrums on those who have helped to savaged the situation.
Dr. Bolaji Abdulkadir, the group’s Secretary General, made this known in a presser on Thursday in Abuja.
“The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the service chiefs citing the bandit attacks that left several people dead in Zamfara state. On the surface this demand by Nigeria’s opposition party sounds logical and is even the natural order of things in certain climes. But to the extent that this call came from the PDP it is suspect and must be evaluated against the backdrop of the antecedents of this party and its chieftains.
“Let us be clear, what happened in Zamfara state is not acceptable under any dispensation. But the cry of the PDP over Zamfara is similar to the popular adage of a witch that has killed a baby at night crying during the day. It has no place in the modern world.
“The party is simply trying to benefit from the blood that has been spilled in Zamfara by trying to use a tragedy to achieve goals that threaten the nation worse than the bandits that they have already unleashed on the people. We are going to raise two instances that should make Nigerians go after PDP with all the venom they can muster.
“First, there had been allegations before now that the PDP teamed up with disgruntled elements from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unleash the bandits on the people of the state in order to disrupt the peace before the election.
“It is suspicious that the same bandits somehow disappeared into thin air when these same politicians were attending to their primary elections. PDP should explain to Nigerians how this is so and why the same bandits suddenly surfaced now that its members are citing insecurity as one of their campaign points against the present government.
“Secondly, there has been allegations in the past that the PDP is eager to see the service chiefs fired so that they can compromise their replacements to compromise our democracy after the this party loses the general elections.
“Could the PDP have then facilitated the killing of innocent people in Zamfara state simply to get the excuse to demand for the sack of the service chiefs? The party’s obsession with getting the service chiefs fired continues to lend credence to the claim that they are desirous of a leadership change in the military in order to carry out a coup after the elections.
“We find it the height of insolence that the PDP could grandstand as it is doing. It is common knowledge that the present government would have much better if it did not have to clean up the mess it created.
“If the country had run on the correct template in the years that the PDP was in power there would have been no need for the military to be deployed for what ordinarily should be the jurisdiction of civil police. It is therefore sheer shallowness to be assessing the effectiveness of the military service chiefs based on assignments that ordinarily is not theirs.
“The National Democratic Front is asking the Federal Government to without further delays set up a high powered probe into the activities of bandits in Zamfara state with a view to formally expose those that are employing these killers to cut short the lives of Nigerians. It is important to get to the bottom of this wickedness because it is the guaranteed way of putting an end to the needless bloodletting by perpetrators of the acts.
“The wisdom here is that of cutting off the head of the monster to ensure that it is dead, the killers are merely the hands that pull the trigger, the brain that decides when, where and how the trigger is pulled should be the focus of the government.”