RESPONSE BY THE PRESIDENCY TO THE STATEMENT MADE BY BISHOP KUKAH BEFORE THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS

It is unfortunate, and disappointing, for citizens of Nigeria to bear witness to one of their Churchmen castigating their country in front of representatives of a foreign parliament.

We are all too familiar with these overseas political tours that opposition politicians take - visiting foreign leaders and legislators in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe. So, the argument goes, if they are heard seriously abroad, then Nigerian citizens back home should surely listen to them too.

But in order to be heard at all, and to maximise media coverage back home for their activities, inevitably these visits involve painting the worst possible picture of our country before their chosen foreign audience.

Soon enough we inescapably hear an identical list of racist tropes against northerners, how one religion dominates governance above all others, how the government is doing nothing to address herder-farmer disturbances, and how the government spends money on infrastructure to benefit everyone but the group and religion of the speaker. Of course, in order not to disappoint their western audience, regardless of fact, the list is always the same-and always slanted for whoever wishes to cross-check.

Nigerians expect this from their unimaginative opposition - but it is troubling when a so-called man of the Church copies the worst excesses of those seeking personal advancement in public office.

Only this government has put forward the first and singular plan in nearly a century to address herder-farmer challenges - a fact recognised by international NGOs, including the International Crisis Group. To declare to a foreign audience that this government does nothing is an incredible falsehood.

To suggest that investment in infrastructure between Nigeria and Niger is wasteful and biased – when a similar infrastructure project between Lagos and Benin has revolutionised the two neighbouring economies to the advantage of both our countries - is quite disturbing.

There is no bias in this government when the president is northern and Muslim, the vice president southern and Christian, and the cabinet equally balanced between the two religions. But neither is there anything in our Constitution to state that political posts must be apportioned according to ethnicity or faith. It takes a warped frame of mind for a critic to believe ethnicity is of primary importance in public appointments. It is yet more troubling to hear a Churchman isolating one group for criticism purely on ethnic lines.

With due respect to the esteemed position he holds, the Bishop’s assertion that only Christian schools are being targeted by bandits or terrorists is not supported by the facts on the ground. It is sad to say but also true that victims of crime, kidnapping, banditry and terrorism cut across all strata of the society. Sad but true that Kankara students in Katsina State were stolen by bandits of the same Islamic faith as those they took away. The same may be true of those who are still holding the 134 students of the Islamic School at Tegina in Niger State. The nation witnessed the sad incident of the female students abducted by bandits at Jangebe in Zamfara State and the over 100 predominantly Muslim students of the Federal Government Girls College Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State who are currently in captivity- and the nation’s security agencies are hard at work to release them unharmed.

The attack on Christian students is sad and unacceptable; so also is the abduction of students of other faiths. The claim that only Christian schools are being targeted is totally untrue.

As a nation and a people, we must together define evil as evil. We must not allow our religious differences to divide us. No one gains but the evil doers when we divide our ranks according to ethnicity and religion in confronting them. The bandit, kidnapper and terrorist are the enemies of the people who should be confronted in unison.

To be clear, The Bible is definitive on matters of ethnicity and racialism: In Romans 2:9-10, it says: “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good”; And in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Whether Christian or Muslim, we stand by these beliefs and are steadfastly committed to them in governance.

There is no place in mainstream civil discourse for those who actively, negatively, and publicly label an individual ethnic group, especially before a foreign audience. These are not the views expressed or opinions held by the vast majority of the citizens of Nigeria. For all our challenges as a nation, nearly all of us seek to live together in harmony, celebrating differences, and finding common ground as Nigerians above all. But people like Kukah are doing their best to sow discord and strife among Nigerians.

More than any other set of people, leaders - in politics or religion who preach respect for truth have a duty to practice it. It is a moral and practical responsibility.

Going by the history of the Church as is well known, it will stand up publicly for the truth.

It is time others did the same.


Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

July 18, 2021

https://www.thecable.ng/presidency-kukahs-claim-that-bandits-attack-only-christian-schools-is-totally-false
Lalasticlala
Mynd44

The presidency abi Garbage shehu

0ne over 100 targets cannot be fake news.

Bokoharam, bandits and herdsmen are widely used to to target non Muslims and non Hausa-Fulanis.

How do we know.
There are more Mosque in the North but few churches had been the sole targeted including Christian schools and pastors.

If the APC Fulani lead Buhari government will tackle the numerous problems they created with the way they respond to criticisms , Nigerians wouldn't have been in the mess.

Killing of Muslims is just to make the viewers of the "movie" feel that the terrorists kill everybody irrespective of religion.

Muslims being killed may be members of Shite movement.

[s]

Kingspin:
0ne over 100 targets cannot to fake news.

Bokoharam, bandits and herdsmen are widely used to to target non Muslims and non Hausa-Fulanis.

How do we know.
There are more Mosque in the North but few churches had been the sole targeted including Christian schools and pastors.

[/s]

Remember that Christian that attempted to bomb a church in Kaduna? Remember how under Jonathan by attacked churches back to back under PMB it has been totally eradicated?

Yes being Christian in Nigeria should not be equivalent to being a liar.

One thing I have come to learn is that many Christian leaders utilize lies and falsehood to push their deceitful agenda. Indeed they are adherents of Paul saying if by my falsehood the truth abideth ....how lies become the very basis of truth to this clergy is very disturbing.

That is how one of them who recently sacked his pastors for "poor performance" raised the hands of a man widely believed to be a homosexual or indulging in it practices worse an unrepentant thief to become the leader of this country. That is how terrible they can stoop when their selfish "truth" is at stake.

Kukah is a liar who like poor performance pastor raised the hands of the aforementioned politician is out there campaigning for donor funding and has employed lies, bigotry and tribalism to achieve his nefarious intent.

Is the presidency mentally unstable

vedaxcool:
[s][/s]

Remember that Christian that attempted to bomb a church in Kaduna? Remember how under Jonathan by attacked churches back to back under PMB it has been totally eradicated?

Yes being Christian in Nigeria should not be equivalent to being a liar.

Don't confused your self thinking you confusing us.

As I said there are more Mosques in the North

vedaxcool:
One thing I have come to learn is that many Christian leaders utilize lies and falsehood to push their deceitful agenda. Indeed they are adherents of Paul saying if by my falsehood the truth abideth ....how lies become the very basis of truth to this clergy is very disturbing.

That is how one of them who recently sacked his pastors for "poor performance" raised the hands of a man widely believed to be a homosexual or indulging in it practices worse an unrepentant thief to become the leader of this country. That is how terrible they can stoop when their selfish "truth" is at stake.

Kukah is a liar who like poor performance pastor raised the hands of the aforementioned politician is out there campaigning for donor funding and has employed lies, bigotry and tribalism to achieve his nefarious intent.

a Terrorist defender ng how s brother who is a common criminal in government that invited foreign Terrorist Fulani group to kill Nigerian Christians

vedaxcool:
One thing I have come to learn is that many Christian leaders utilize lies and falsehood to push their deceitful agenda. Indeed they are adherents of Paul saying if by my falsehood the truth abideth ....how lies become the very basis of truth to this clergy is very disturbing.

That is how one of them who recently sacked his pastors for "poor performance" raised the hands of a man widely believed to be a homosexual or indulging in it practices worse an unrepentant thief to become the leader of this country. That is how terrible they can stoop when their selfish "truth" is at stake.

Kukah is a liar who like poor performance pastor raised the hands of the aforementioned politician is out there campaigning for donor funding and has employed lies, bigotry and tribalism to achieve his nefarious intent.

Paul saying if by my falsehood the truth abideth



Muslims don't even try to understand what Paul is saying.

when it comes to koran they are brain dead but automatically becomes clever about bible