The recent burning of the Kontagora headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God has drawn strong condemnation from the Niger State Forum of Imams, who are demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.
The arson attack took place on Sunday when suspected hoodlums allegedly stormed the church, which was still under construction, and set it ablaze. The incident was denounced by Niger State Governor Umaru Bago on Monday.
The condemnation was reiterated on Thursday by the Director General of the Niger State Bureau of Religious Affairs, Umar Abdullahi, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Niger State Imams Forum. Abdullahi, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Affairs, Liman MashaAllah, led a delegation of Imams to offer their condolences to the Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Bulus Yohana, at the CAN secretariat in Minna.
Emphasizing the need for unity, MashaAllah stated, “We are one. The enemies of peace seek to sow discord among us. We all share the same Creator. As Muslims, our faith teaches us tolerance and peaceful coexistence. In every society, there are good, bad, and ugly individuals.”
He called on the community to come together to defeat the common enemy trying to disrupt the peace in the state, particularly in Kontagora. MashaAllah described the perpetrators as evildoers who should be brought to justice and urged security agencies to take all necessary measures to apprehend and prosecute those responsible to serve as a deterrent to others who may seek to create unrest.
“Islam discourages any form of chaos or discord among us,” he added. “Islam does not accept anyone who does not believe in Jesus. We urge security agencies to act swiftly in apprehending and prosecuting the culprits to prevent further incidents.”
In his response, the state CAN Chairman, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, commended the Bureau for sympathizing with the Christian community and the Redeemed Christian Church of God over the incident. Yohanna, represented by his Deputy, Rev. Ezekiel Ibrahim, said, “We accept this in good faith, understanding that hoodlums are always present to cause chaos. The truth is, without peace, we cannot progress or live together.”
He further emphasized the importance of maintaining a cordial relationship among religious groups, stating, “We should capitalize on the relative peace in Kontagora and the state to work together and put the enemies of peace to shame.”
