Killing in Nigeria: “Ethnic, Religiously Biased Narratives Used to Inflame Crisis in Plateau,” says Northern Group
A northern group the Arewa Youths Advocates for Peace and Unity Initiative have condemned the use of ethnic and religiously biased narratives to inflame crises in the country.
In a communique issued Tuesday and signed by the groups National President, Sani Danaudi Mohammed and sent to Arewa Agenda, the group maintained that Nigeria is not at war with each other simply because the government have failed to prosecute conflict entrepreneurs.
It further calls for peace and cooperation among the various ethnic groups across the country.
The full communique reads:
KILLINGS IN NIGERIA: THE CRIMINALS AND THE CONFLICT ENTREPRENEURS DOES NOT REPRESENT ANY RELIGION. BEING A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT IN BAUCHI ON 31ST AUGUST,2021.
Gentleman of the Press.
The recent developments in some parts of Nigeria is not only condemnable but barbaric and inhumane. We are unfortunate to find ourselves in this bad narratives where ethnic and religious tensions are dusted across the length and breadth of Nigeria. The recurrent incidents that led to the Killings of innocent travelers along Rukuba and Yelwan Zagam in Jos North Local Government of Plateau State is barbaric and condemnable.
We should remember that as a country and as a people, we have a rich history of tolerance, love and kindness as features that bind us together under an Umbrella of a country called Nigeria. We want to make it categorically clear that Nigerians are not in war with each other but it because the Government has failed to prosecute the conflict entrepreneurs.
We must know that a society that does not correctly interpret and appreciate its past cannot understand its present fortunes and adversities and can be caught unawares in a fast-changing world. Today, Nigeria is been faced with the current treat of insecurity because of the inability of the successive governments in Nigeria to address the plight of restive Youths productive and agents of National rebirths.
We have allowed sentiments of our accidental differences of religion and ethnicity to rule us instead of the sense of our shared humanity as both of our faiths stand for Peace, love and harmony. This is a time for us to stand up against our common enemy that has continued to killed our dear brothers and sisters we so love. In doing so, We must know that our greatest enemies are the Political elites that are currently given this disaster an ethnic and religious connotations with their inciting comments.
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Unless and until as right-thinking Nigerians and citizens of this country are able shield our differences these perpetrators will continue to hunt us. As we continue to be defensive of these mindless criminals based on their ethnic and religion identities, innocent Nigerians continue to lose their lives. The manner to which we have been shielding them has given them more grounds to perpetrates their evils at the detriment of the downtrodden. We make know that each time this unfortunate and regrettable incidents happen., we stand at the receiving end.
Violence can never solve our current challenges in the North and Nigeria in general .We must return the North and Nigeria to the olden days of been our brothers keepers. We must urgently stand and support the Government by been security vigilant
By identifying the Criminals even if they are own blood. To this end, we are in support of the declaration of emergency in the Security Sector to end the increasing tensions and growing insecurity in the country particularly the Northern part.
As a democratic nation even with the current happenings in some parts of the country, we are against those calling for the impeachment of their respective Governors and declaration of State of emergency to remove democratically elected Structures. This will further distort the already set precedence scored on our baby democracy as those making these calls are more or less sing Political rhetorics rather than being driven by National interest.
We are using this medium to commend His Excellency the Executive Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong for his quick response in the recent recurrent violence on the Plateau. His actions to summon Stakeholders and security meetings to bring this regrettable experience to an end is highly commendable. We call on him to be more courageous in taking holistic decisions and never give up to his distractors in his efforts to restore Peace in order in Plateau State in the last six years.
Finally, we commend the Muhammadu Buhari led Presidency for his constant support to the Security agencies as such has end the era of the Boko Harams insurgents in the Northeast. The surfacing of Bandits and kidnappers in the Northwest, the emergence of Secessionist in the Southwest and Southeast as well as the recurrent Farmers-Herders conflicts should not be seen as weakness or Government failures. The war of words between the Presidency and the Executive Governor of Benue State His Excellency Sam Ortom must come to an end and let both understand that the faceoff is not a solution at this current challenges.
Sani Danaudi Mohammed
National President
