The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, South South zone, Archbishop God-Dowell Avwomakpa has decried the recent statement credited to Muslim countries that have agreed to form an “anti-terrorism” alliance to be headquartered in Saudi capital Riyadh to fight ISIS, describing the inclusion of Nigeria in the list of 34 nations as an error.
According to the CAN, zonal chairman, the coalition though formed within the framework of a previous anti-terrorism agreement that was signed by Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states along with Saudi Arabia, the inclusion of Nigeria along side other countries like Pakistan, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Turkey, Tunisia, Djibouti, Sudan, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Maldives, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania and Yemen, in
addition to other African countries, is another plot to drag Nigeria in to Muslim countries‘ military alliance which Nigeria as a secular state does not need. The Nigerian Constitution expressly prohibits state religion. It prohibits the Nigerian Government from deploying our armed forces for religious wars as Nigeria is a secular State.
Speaking to journalists in Warri, the oil city, Archbishop Avwomakpa noted that the international fight against terrorism is good but for Arab nations to come together and expect Nigeria to be part of a military alliance of Muslim countries is sacrilegious because Nigeria is not an absolute Muslim country.
Archbishop Avwomakpa noted further that Nigeria already has enough crises in its hand and should not be seen adding to the Crisis. According to him ” The entire members of CAN in the South South zone strongly disagree with any move by government, be it PDP, APC or any other party to yield itself to the listing of Nigeria among Muslim nations set to fight ISIS. More so, the CAN zonal chairman asked the Arab Nations to state their contributions to Nigeria since the War against Boko Haram started?
To list Nigeria in the list of Muslim countries is another invitation to religious crisis in a country that already has enough crises to manage. It is my prayer that God will unite Nigeria across all ethnic and religious barriers to respect one another and heal our economy. We shall continue to pray for the good of the nation. God bless Nigeria.