Interfaith Centre Warns Against Religious Tensions,Conflicts ln Nigeria

By Our Reporter

The Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC)has called on Nigerians and People of faith to shun religious motivated tensions and Conflicts in the Interest of peace in the country.

The centre in collaboration with her other organizations warned on the danger of fanning the embers of religious crisis but rather charged, religious leaders and other stakeholders to shun incitement on demonization but work towards peace, dialogue and harmonious coexistence.

This is contained in a Statement made to NewsdailyNigeria in Kaduna on Thursday, by the Director of communications,Hayatu N. Ashafa
Director of Communications,where the centre,admonished the adherents of the two major faiths to live in peace in accordance with their religious teachings, Saying

” The attention of the Community Action Peace Network (CPAN), of the Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), Kaduna State with the Conflict Mitigation Management Regional Council (CMMRC), Community Peace Observers (CPOs) and the Forum with Media on Peace Journalism and Network of Religious Leaders collectively having received the recent report by the DSS that plans is in place to destabilize the peace in some locations around the country

” The Interfaith Mediation Centre (IMC), under the Community Initiatives to Promote Peace (CIPP) program is appealing for calm and ensure that we promote the ideals of our religion to promote peace and live in unity with each other.

” We are calling on all Nigerian citizens to desist and avoid any negative incitements/propagation of violent conflicts in our dear nation and condemn any plan that will jeopardize the peace in our respective communities.”

Adding “We seek people of faith to help create an atmosphere where present and future generations will co-exist with mutual respect and trust with one another

.” We call upon all to refrain from incitement and demonization, and pledge to promote dialogue among the citizens

“We call on all our religious leaders and institutions and to all ethnic nationalities to imbibe the culture of peaceful coexistence and harmonious understanding amongst it members.

“The Co-Executive Directors, Pastor Dr. James Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Ashafa, further tasked on what the two holy books (Bible and Qur’an) enshrine in support of the unity of all who are good:
Say, “O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah.” (3:64)
“Hold fast, all together, to God’s rope, and be not divided among yourselves.Remember with gratitude God’s favor on you, for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His grace you became brethren.” You were on the brink of the fiery Pit, and He saved you from it.Thus does God make His signs clear to you, that you may be guided. Let there arise out of you one community, inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: those will be prosperous. Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves and fall into disputations after receiving clear signs: for them is a dreadful penalty”. (3:103-5)“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore”. Psalm 133:Jesus prayed for the unity of all:
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me”. (Matthew 17:20-21)

“They emphasized on the need to live in peace among community of faith in the country; saying that “there is need for us to leave together and shun this segregation and blind division.

They urged people to desist from using their various religion negatively in order to promote chaos, mischief and evil hegemony in all the strata of the society.

They call on religious leaders to use their pulpits to admonished their followers on the values of peace, love, compassion and respect of the sacredness of human life and human dignity irrespective of religion and tribal affiliation.

The centre further”emphasized the need for Nigerians to spread the tidings of peace and tolerance and raise awareness of any intolerance that may still be prevalent within our various communities in Nigeria and around the world”,the statement stressed