By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta 

The Ogun State chapter of League of Imams and Alfas, has dismissed a statement credited to the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), alleging a calculated genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

The body noted that Nigeria is battling complex security challenges including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent extremism that affect all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

The league stated this in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Imam Tajudeen Mustapha Adewunmi, and made available to Vanguard, in Abeokuta, the state capital.

Adewunmi stated that “the pronouncements, if left unchecked, are capable of inflaming passions, aggravating inter-religious suspicion and undermining the peace and stability of the country.

The statement reads, “at this delicate moment in our national life, leaders of faith-based organizations must exercise utmost responsibility in their utterances and actions, recognizing that words carry enormous power to either build or destroy”.

“The truth remains that Nigeria is battling complex security challenges including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent extremism that affect all citizens, whether Muslim, Christian or adherent of traditional beliefs”. 

“The blood of innocent Nigerians, Christians and Muslims have been shed in equal measure by those whose agenda is purely criminal and destructive”. 

“To portray terrorism as a religiously motivated war against one faith community is not only misleading, but also unjust to the countless muslims who have equally suffered attacks, displacement and loss of loved ones”. 

Adewunmi added that, “terrorism is not a religious agenda, but a global crime against humanity, rooted in ungodliness, lawlessness, greed and the pursuit of instability”.

While urging the leadership of CAN to desist from issuing statements that are capable of creating unnecessary fear and deepening mistrust among Nigerians, he charged all religious leaders to stand together as moral voices, guiding their followers towards peace, tolerance and reconciliation, stressing that “Nigeria needs unity and solidarity, not divisive rhetoric”.

“The League of Imams and Alfas, Ogun State, calls on CAN and other religious bodies to join hands with the Muslim community and indeed all peace-loving Nigerians to foster mutual respect, strengthen interfaith dialogue and promote the values of justice, fairness and peaceful coexistence”. 

“As a nation, we will only overcome our challenges if we recognize that our common enemy is not one another but the forces of terror, criminality, and disunity”. 

“As leaders of faith, we must rise above sentiments and act as bridge-builders, ensuring that religion is never exploited as a tool for division, but as an instrument of harmony and national progress”.

He called on the media to be diligent and professional in the discharge of their duties, stressing that “media remains a powerful institution that shapes public opinion, and as such, every story must be diligently investigated and verified before publication”. 

“The spread of misinformation or sensational reporting is capable of setting the country on fire, as the masses often rely on and believe what they read and hear from the media. Journalists must therefore be patriotic in their duty, ensuring that their work promotes peace, unity, and stability rather than division, fear, and mistrust”.