By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar 111, have jointly identified improper understanding of religion and poverty as some of the remote causes of insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria.
The two respected religious leaders spoke at a high level town hall engagement organized by the Kukah Centre in collaboration with Global Rights. They proffered possible solutions to the lingering insecurity.
Delivering a keynote address at the 1-Day Peace and Security Summit that brought together stakeholders from different walks of life, Bishop Kukah further listed injustice, fanaticism as well as intolerance as some of the additional reasons for insecurity in not just the northern part of the country but the entire Nigeria.
The clergyman who insisted that the meeting became necessary looking at the spate of insecurity in the northwest region, added that the time has come for people to eschew sectionalism and focus on national integration.
“ You know most of this problem at times is as a result of inproper understanding of our religion. When we are dealing with ourselves, we should know we are dealing with Nigerians, not religion,” Kukah reiterated.
While urging the government to provide the desired funds towards effective communication and dialogue that could guarantee peaceful coexistence, Kukah also appeals for the execution of people oriented projects, policies and programmes.
While registering his displeasure with the continued insecurity in the Northwest region of Nigeria, Bishop Kukah enjoined all hands to be on deck. According to him, the insecurity affects adherents of all religions.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director of Global Rights NGO, Mr Abiodun Baiyewu, said their mission was geared towards promoting peace and security in the North Western part of Nigeria.
On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, and President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, represented by the District Head of Kilgore, Dr Jabbi Kilgore, urged the government and the security agencies to intensify efforts on increased community involvement towards ending the lingering security challenges faced by Nigerians.
Continuing, the Sultan frownd at bad governance, poverty and inequality as another sustaining fuel for the insecurity confronting the country.
Speaking on his part, the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police (CP), Ali Hayattu Kaigama, called on all to support community policing as a means of keeping abreast with developments in every nook and cranny of the nation.
The CP, Kaigama who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Ibrahim Adamu, assured of their continued inter-agency collaboration towards bringing to an end the menace of enemies of the country masquerading in whatever form.
Looking at the history and promotional factors of insecurity in Nigeria, the Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Professor Tukur Baba, admonished government to wholistically look at the land use act, taxations and other global, regional and national approaches in dealing with the challenges.
Lending their voices to the discussion, both the Executive Secretary of Zaki's GEM Foundation and the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Dr Nafisa Zaki and Hajia A'isha Dantsoho, urged government at all levels to be concerned about girls and women education and welfare, adding, they are the mothers of the nation.
They further called for the promotion of gender equitable norms, education and inclusive budgeting as one of the measures to guarantee the needed peace.
Sokoto State leader of Community Dialogue Committee and District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, said religious misconceptions, gender based violence and other associated society ills should equally be addressed. NNL.
