CAN rejects Sharia Council’s suggestion towards curbing Kaduna killings

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Sunday, August 16, criticised the suggestion of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria on what would bring a lasting solution to the killings in Southern Kaduna.

CAN explained that peace could not be achieved by calling for more deaths.

This stance by CAN was a reaction to the claim by the Muslim scholars that a revisit to the death sentence handed to a retired Major General, Zamani Lekwot, and others, who were found complicit in the 1992 bloody riot in Zango-Kataf would end the crisis in Southern Kaduna.

The President of CAN, Dr Samson Ayokunle, who spoke at an interdenominational service and indoor protest organised by the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association said:

“When you are talking about peace and you say it is about killing somebody, is that peace? It is to bring further violence to the nation because Zamani Lekwot has his own people; they will not allow that. A government that attempts that is looking for greater trouble.”

Describing killings in southern Kaduna as a genocide, Ayokunle said the development has given Kaduna a bad name.

Further noting that the killings in the state and other parts of the country must stop, he said he was in Kaduna to identify with the oppressed people of the southern part of the state and to also meet with the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

“My coming today is to identify with the oppressed people of Southern Kaduna whether Christian or Muslims. I come here not to see you alone but I will see the governor on Monday,” the CAN President said.

Meanwhile, the presidency has described as “a publicity stunt”, the widely circulated reports alleging that former Speaker Umar Ghali Na’Abba has been invited by the Department of State Service over his alleged comments on President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, who stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, August 16; urged the general public to ignore the claim regarding the alleged comments about Buhari.

”Our findings have revealed that Na’Abba’s invitation has nothing to do with his alleged utterances which; in any case, did not catch the attention of the Presidency, or of any serious politician for that matter.

”There are serious politicians who talk and the Presidency responds because such politicians make statements that must get attention.

”Flash-in-the-pan politicians and those who fabricate political relevance don’t bother anyone.

”We advise Na’Abba to distance the presidency from the situation he has found himself and sort himself out accordingly,” the statement said.