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Christian Leaders like Oyedepo, Apostle Suleman, promote Hate Speech – JNI

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Christian Leaders like Oyedepo, Apostle Suleman, promoting Hate Speech - JNI - BellaNaija

From right: Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Sa’ad Abubakar III; Secretary-General, JNI, Khalid Abubakar; and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, during the JNI Annual Central Council meeting, in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi, Vanguard.

An umbrella body for muslims in the country Jamatul Nasir Islam (JNI) has accused Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Christian leaders in the country of hate speech, Vanguard reports.

In a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday, the Secretary-General of JNI, Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, accused Bishop Oyedepo and Apostle Suleman of promoting hate speech.

He accused both religious leaders of asking Christians to kill the Fulani people, and said the repercussion of their actions “could be better imagined.” He said:

In the same light, some Christian leaders promote hate speeches, such as “If you see a Fulani man, kill him,” by Pastor Suleman and “Crush them, kill them,” by pastor Oyedepo. The repercussion of such speeches could be better imagined.

In addition, Bishop Kukah’s hate speech against Muslims in Nigeria is legendary, as hardly would opportunity avail itself for him to talk without smearing Islam and Muslims in Nigeria.

CAN and other Christian leaders such as Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Pastor Oyedepo, Suleman and recently El Buba should not take Nigerian Muslims’ patience for foolishness, as their speeches are becoming really provocative and outlandish.

Therefore, CAN should desist from making provocative statements in the midst of serious issues bedeviling the nation.

The group added that the “herdsmen debacle” is an invention of CAN to perpetrate evil.

The group accused CAN of purposely overheating the herdsmen killings because 2019 is “around the corner.”

The “herdsmen” debacle must be understood that this is a mischievously invented by CAN over time and its biased errand boys among media practitioners to stereotype an ethnic group so as to achieve a pre-planned agenda.

Why is the whole herdsmen issue heightened now in 2018? Simply, CAN is unnecessarily overheating the polity because 2019 is around the corner.

Our take is that CAN should better go and register as a political party and contest election if they want to test their popularity.

We nonetheless make bold to say that CAN is deliberately covering up by using the “herdsmen” debacle as a franchise to perpetrate evil as witnessed in the Boko Haram tale.

JNI asked that the government arrest perpetrators of hate speech in the country, else it become a norm.

The group added that while it condemns the killings in the country, it believes a criminal should be treated as a criminal regardless of his ethnicity or religious affiliation.

Government should take the bull by the horn by prosecuting promoters of hate speeches in Nigeria, if not one day it will become a norm that cannot be challenged and one of the chief mongers of the hate speech is CAN as represented by Reverend Asake.

To put the record straight, JNI condemns killings of innocent souls wherever they happen and whoever is involved. JNI also condemns the generalization of criminals as representatives of the whole, thus leading to unjust stereotyping and name calling. We condemn all criminals, whoever they are and wherever they come from. A criminal should be treated as a criminal regardless of his/her ethnicity and/or religious affiliation.

Photo Credit: Old Ajayi for Vanguard

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