The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Northern Nigeria, Reverend John Joseph Hayab, has warned against attempts by terrorists to fuel religious division in the region, urging Nigerians not to allow violence to pitch Christians and Muslims against one another.
Reverend Hayab, who stated this during a get-together with newsmen in Kaduna on Saturday, raised the alarm over alleged plot by terrorist groups being allegedly sponsored to destabilise northern Nigeria by targeting Christians in states like Niger, Kwara, and Kogi.
He warned that the attacks were designed to “steer the problem” into a religious conflict, urging Nigerians to collectively resist the agenda.
“We must warn our people that we will not be divided by these actions.
“Instead, we must remind our security agencies and government to step up and defeat this common enemy,” he stressed.
The CAN Chairman maintains that the loss of any life in Nigeria is a national tragedy, regardless of faith or ethnicity.
If one life is lost in Nigeria, it is a Nigerian life that is lost. Violence against any group diminishes the country’s shared humanity,” he stated.
Rev. Hayab referenced Islamic teachings to reinforce his message of unity, adding that Muslim leaders often reminded him that the Qur’an teaches that killing one person is akin to killing all of humanity.
“These are religious teachings we must return to, whether we fully understand them or not.
“If this teaching is taken seriously, then Muslims themselves must rise and take ownership of this issue,” he said.
He called on Nigerians of all faiths to expose anyone who commits violence in the name of religion, stressing that doing so would protect the integrity of both faith and region.
“Whoever kills a fellow Nigerian under whatever name or excuse must be exposed.
“That is how we give our faith a good name and stop enemies of progress from tarnishing us, either as believers or as a region,” he stated.
Rev. Hayab further emphasised that no group has the right to force others out of northern Nigeria, insisting that coexistence is non-negotiable.
“Nobody is going to chase anybody out of this region. Whether you like it or not, whether you agree with me or not, we will remain here together,” he said.
He, however, urged residents of the region to embrace unity and make the best of their shared destiny.
@The Sun
