Interfaith Media Forum Laments Gross Insecurity ln The Land

*Condemns Kankara Abduction,Arewa house attacks

*Faults Government in polarizing Nigerians

*Frowns at segregation of Communities in Kaduna

*Calls government to action

By Our Reporter

The Monthly Forum of interfaith Mediation Centre,Kaduna,with the Media on Peace Journalism has lamented and expressed deep displeasure on the state of insecurity bedevilling the state and country Nigeria

They participants at a meeting in Kaduna,described as” Gross insecurity” the rate of insecurity in the land,ranging from banditry, Farmers herders clash,insurgency, kidnappings in the country especially on Kaduna -Abuja high way,Plateau and Nasarawa states.

In a communique Signed by Pastor Dr. James Movel Wuye & Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa Co-Executive Directors of Interfaith Mediation Centre Kaduna State,on Thursday, the forum further condemned the Kidnapped of school boys in Kankara,katsina state,describing the attacks as a blow and setback to education in the north

They forum attributed the escalation of insecurity in the country to our sinfulness as a people saying that “when we are repented there is the likelihood of God ending the insecurity in the country.

The Forum while frowning at the way Kaduna communities are segregated advocated for a return to how they use live together in the past years as brothers and sisters.

It further ” lamented how government has helped in dividing us so as to apply divide and rule, saying this has badly affected us.” hence it must be stopped

While” calling on the authorities in the country to desist from taking sides ,it called for the punishment of any law breaker in the society, stressing that “no matter your influence, status or your faith you must be punished according to the law of the land”

According to forum,” whatever we are doing we must first put Nigeria first,as our number one project.”

The participants urged the authorities in the country to ensure that Muslims students are being taught CRK as well as Christians taught IRK in schools so as to promote peaceful co-exsistnce among the students and enhance understanding of the two major faiths

The participants further decried the recent attack of the peace meeting of a group of northern youth by armed thugs at the Arewa House Kaduna, describing the attack” as unfortunate as the attack came at a time when issues of insecurity in the region were been discussed.”

While lamenting over the persistent Farmers-Herders conflict in some parts of the country.the group also decried the continued skyrocketing of foodstuffs prices, which they noted within the period has hit 200 percent.

The interfaith media forum also reported that some cases of hate speeches are still trending among some communities in the country, especially on Social Media.

While reiterating the need to live together in a mixed society and community noted that” still some communities in Kaduna state are living in a segregated communities, saying it can affect peaceful co-existence and consequently affect the future generation,”until we change our attitudes for the better”the statement added

They emphasized the need of living together for peaceful co-exsistnce, saying that” there is need for us to live together and shun this segregation”.While calling on government to create special communities in Kaduna that will strategically accommodate people from different creed and cultures living together.

Participants at the forum,urged the ” people to desist from using their various religion negatively in order to promote chaos, mischief and evil in the society.

Some of the participants invited from different communities in Kaduna,such as Barnawa, Mando, Tudun Wada, Sabon Tasha Barakallahu also made their contribution and testimonies on the implication of segregated/mixed communities and its effect on peaceful coexistence among other things.