Deal with those using religion to cause trouble, group tells FG

A group, Anwar-ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria, has urged the Federal Government not to spare any individual or group using religion as cover to commit crime or precipitate violence.

Such a person or group, the group said, should be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.

The National President, Alhaji Mubashir Ojelade, made the plea at a media briefing to announce the group’s 101st annual conference, the opening ceremony of which holds today at Anwar-ul-Islam Model College, Agege, Lagos.

Dignitaries like the Lagos State deputy governor, Dr Idiat Adebule; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu; the Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheikh AbdulAfeez Abou; the Olu of Agege, Oba Kamila Isiba and Senator H. A. B. Fasinro are expected to grace the three-day event.

“Our challenge in Nigeria is that religious leaders have not been as mature and circumspect as they ought to be in reacting to religious issues by making uncomplimentary and inciting speeches which can only compound issues or serve as inspiration for further violence,” Alhaji Ojelade said.

He commended the Federal Government for the feat recorded in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents, saying that no efforts should be spared until all terrorist groups are crushed.

The government, he said, must take urgent steps to curb ethno-religious clashes and killings across the country.

According to him, a proactive multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary approach that will involve security agencies, the legislature, judiciary and community leaders must be adopted to enable the government deal with such crises effectively.

“We condemn in strong terms the unending clashes and bloodletting in Southern Kaduna and urge the federal and Kaduna State governments to intensify actions that will bring lasting solutions to the crisis. The government must be balanced, deep and painstaking in its investigations in view of the fact that clashes have continued to occur in spite of previous enquiries and reports on similar crisis in the region.

“In order to reduce the perennial clashes between killer herdsmen as opposed to Fulani herdsmen and farmers in different parts of the country, government should consider the suggestion for the establishment of permanent grazing areas to be occupied by herdsmen and the cattle rustlers. Herdsmen who kill innocent citizens should be treated as criminals and punished,” he said.