The Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to caution an Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Muhammadu Gumi, who they claimed was inciting Muslims against Christians in his Ramadan preachings.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, CAN’ s Secretatry in the state, Rev. Sunday Ibrahim, also advised the state government against allowing its radio and television stations to be used in attacking Christians.
Ibrahim warned that if Gumi’s inciting messages were left unchecked, they could lead to a major religious crisis in the state.
Warning that no religion had the monopoly of violence, he said Christians in the state would resist any attempt to attack them.
He said, “It has come to our notice that a Ramadan message titled ‘Christianity has loss its focus’ by a self-acclaimed Islamic scholar, Muhammed Gumi, was televised by Capital Television and aired by a radio station owned by the state government on July 17, 2013.
“Gumi went further to say that the more Archbishops, Bishops,Pastors and General Overseers, the more the iniquities we have in the society. He also made some negative comments on the personality of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ibrahim noted that Christians in the state were not unaware about the Islamic cleric’s provocative preachings.
He added, “Many innocent Christians had been killed and maimed in the past due to instigating messages of people like Muhammed Gumi.
“We want to make it point blank that we will continue to resist as we have done in the past, despite all the injustice against Christians.
“Enough is enough. Muhammed Gumi and others like him should know that civility is not a sign of weakness, as nobody has the monopoly of violence.
“We therefore call on the Federal and Kaduna State governments to take drastic action against people like Gumi.
“We are also appealing to the Kaduna State Government not to allow its media houses to be used as tools of disunity among the people of the state and the nation at large.”