by James Sambo
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna state have denied claims made that some Muslims protected Christians during Christmas service in worship places in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.
The Secretary of Kaduna State Chapter of CAN, Dr. Sunday Ibrahim while addressing journalists in CAN secretariat Kaduna, said that it was pertinent to bring to light the true state of things, as opposed to the report from non governmental organisations in the state that Christians were shielded by Muslims during the Christmas services.
He stated that the story was false, as there was no planned attack on any church in Kaduna on Christmas day.
Ibrahim said: “It has become imperative for us to clarify this falsehood and confusion in local and international media. Many of our members have been calling and asking question whether Muslims in Sabo area protected a Church from being attack on Christmas day? And we said it is not true, and we don’t want people to create panic and dishing out inciting story.”
“We want to clearly tell the world that there was no any attempted attack on any Church in Kaduna town on Christmas day that warrants some Muslims coming to protect the Church from attackers.”
Furthermore, Ibrahim stated that the ‘Sabon Tasha’ area is wholly dominated by Christians, hence, it was unrealistic for Muslims to come and protect a church in a Christian area.
“For clarity, there is no record of any Church in Sabon Tasha, Barnawa and environs out of the over 400 Churches that was protected by Muslims. Sabon Tasha is a 100 percent Christian dominated area, and how will Muslims come from Rigasa and Tudun Wada to protect a Church in Sabon Tasha? Can Christians from Sabon Tasha go to Rigasa or Tudun Wada to keep watch over Muslims faithful in a mosque? On whose supervision and watch, please we should be careful of spreading falsehood in the quest for peaceful coexistence.”
“We are not against any peace initiative as we are working with Jama’atu Nasril Islam for peace; however we are not aware of this fabricated story from any Church, security agencies, military, police and the SSS capable of creating confusion.”
According to Rev Ibrahim: “What happened was, some Muslims visited a Christian pastor on Christmas day to celebrate Christmas with him but not coming to protect a Church was widely reported, we are begging the media to always verify their facts and we are by this informing Christians to be calm because no single Church was threatened on Christmas day.”
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