The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has told a United States Congress Commission, that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to tackle the challenge of insecurity bedeviling the country which it promised to do before taking power in 2015.
The cleric accused Buhari of bias towards people of his religion, which Kukah stated has engendered religious hostility in the country.
READ ALSO: FG Frustrating Repair Of Lagos–Ota- Abeokuta Highway – Gov Abiodun
“The North, even the whole country, is invaded by armed bandits, kidnappers etc, who attack communities at will. The fact that the government seems to be either helpless or uninterested in dealing decisively with these people has added more confusion,” he said.
“The contradiction here is that the President has blatantly pursued nepotistic agenda and policies that show very clearly his preference for men and women of his faith.
“For the first time in Nigeria, the people heading the three arms of government – President, Senate President, Speaker and Chief Justice – are all Muslims. These are all fine gentlemen, but that is not the point. The level of rivalry between Christians and Muslims has worsened. This kind of situation has never happened before.”
Kukah disclosed to the commission that the Christians’ persecution in Nigeria has been ongoing for a long time, noting that it has grown worse in the past 10 years with Christian schools being attacked in the north by extremists who convert girls to wives, sex slaves, and spies while indoctrinating them.
“The story of Leah Sharibu suggests very clearly that there is, in many instances, a relationship between the conditions in which people find themselves and their faith,” he said.
“In 2020, some of our priests in the North were killed. The extremists kidnapped our children and forcefully converted them to Muslims. What is significant here is that we are in a democracy; with weak structures and institutions. These are existential issues. So, we require practical assistance that can help us and our children.”
