- Supports Legitimate Agitation of Youths
By Stephen Adeleye.
The Kogi State Inter-Religious Council (KOSIREC) on Thursday, condemned in its entirety any attack on worship centres or people embarking on prayer walks or exercises for peace in the State and the nation at large.
Recalled that a peaceful prayer walk on Monday in Anyigba, Dekina local government area of Kogi, ended in chaos as armed thugs attacked the procession.
The prayer walk was led by Bishop David Sanda of Love Oasis Church, Anyigba, Pastor Silas Edogbo and other clerics, Christians on prayer walk were accosted by policemen and political thugs who demanded that they confine their prayers to the church.
The procession retreated to DUNAMIS Church in Anyigba to intercede on behalf of the nation, but were attacked mid-way by armed thugs who unleashed mayhem on the worshippers.
The church was vandalised, worshippers beaten while some of the pastors were whisked away.
A press statement jointly signed by the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kogi, Dr John Ibenu and Co-Chairman KOSIREC; and the Chairman of Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) and Co-Chairman KOSIREC, Ambassador Usman Bello, and read at a press conference in Lokoja, also supported the position of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) on the unfortunate current situations in Nigeria.
The Kogi Inter-Religious also expressed their support to the legitimate agitations of the Nigerian youths especially with ENDSARS protesters.
”KOSIREC supports, identifies with and stands with all the legitimate agitations of the Youth of the Nation especially with #EndSARS.
”KOSIREC also identifies endemic and systemic problems of unemployment, injustice, corruption and closure of schools as aggravators of the protests across the nation.
”We condemns the use of force and live ammunition to suppress protests in any part of the Nation.
”KOSIREC condemns any and every attack on worship centres or people embarking on prayer walks or exercises for peace in the State and Nation.
”KOSIREC condemns all forms of destruction of public or private properties by hoodlums who hijacked the #EndSARS protest.
”We cannot afford to destroy infrastructures as it is a collective loss to all,” the statement reads.
The council called on Government at all levels to urgently proffer very practicable solution to the demands of the protesters and make it public to pacify the tempers.
The Inter-Religious council also enjoined Government to set up Judicial panels that would involve lawyers, NBA, youths, religious groups, traditional institutions, CSO, the Police, NANS, ASUU, women groups and all relevant stakeholders to address all the grievances comprehensively.
The council further called on all their followers to devote Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th of October for active prayer to God for forgiveness and mercy on the nation and the state to grant us peace and progress.
The body further called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency address the nation to dowsed tension and pacify the youths.
The statement added: ”All languages that will aggravate tension MUST be stopped immediately. We call on all citizens to rise and be part of the solutions and not the problems.
”We call on our members to resist every attempt by any group or section that will want to make this a religious issue. This monster affects everyone irrespective of religion.
”The nation needs more prayer at this trying time more than any other time and so we call on all our followers to devote Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th of October for active prayer to God for forgiveness and mercy on the Nation and the State to grant us peace and progress.
”We urge all citizens at this time to constructively support, advise and engage the Government for a peaceful resolution to this impasse”.
