By Kingsley Chukwuka
The Arewa Christians Association (ACIPA), has appealed to the United States Government to as a matter of urgency send a special envoy to Nigeria to forestall a total breakdown of law and order leading to war.
The Chairman of the group, Rev. Luke Shehu, gave reasons for the intervention to be consistent neglect to the rule of law, banditry, kidnapping, incessant loss of lives, herdsmen attack, etc.
Shehu, who spoke to Journalists on Thursday in Jos, said the current issues in Gombe State, where the Governor is bent on subverting the will of the people by imposing a monarch on the locals against their wish is the height of religious bigotry.
According to him: “We observe with dismay the unfortunate but avoidable circumstances that led to demonstrations, destruction killings and imposition of curfew in Billiri, Gombe State by Governor Mohammedu Yahaya. Against all odds and advice from major stakeholders and prominent Nigerians the Governor chose the cheap side of religious bigotry and ethnic sentiment in despising and denying the Tangle people the right to their ancestral throne”.
ACIPA said the Kankara school children abduction in Katsina last year and the most recent Kagara school abduction in Niger State has shown clearly that there is a network of terrorists recycled as bandits or Fulani herdsmen with the agenda of empowering Islamists who do the dirty job for some clerics and Islamic government apologists.
“It is evident that there is a nexus between the terrorists, Fulani militia, the bandits and with some security personnel as well as politicians.
“The former Service Chiefs should be answering questions from an inquest committee, yet in a brazen disregard to their failure and an insult to Nigerians, this administration chose to nominate a breed of failed army officers to represent Nigeria and Nigerians overseas as Ambassadors.
“The marginalization of nine Northern Muslims to two Southerners in the National Security Council is a deliberate attempt to carry out a planned agenda which has clearly been seen today in our country”, Shehu said.
ACIPA however said it is not only calling on the United States of America, but also on the United Nations to assign a special rapporteur to review, monitor and report back with regards to human rights abuse, matters concerning minority and ethnic people’s rights, religious persecution and denial of other rights contrary to the United Nations charter.