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He likened the Federal Government to Boko Haram, saying the only difference is that the latter makes use of bomb to achieve its aim.
While condemning the Christmas Day attack by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and that by Boko Haram on Christmas eve, the bishop lamented that the only difference between the government and Boko Haram is that Boko Haram is holding a bomb.
His words: “The only difference between the government and Boko Haram is Boko Haram is holding a bomb.
“They are using the levers of power to secure the supremacy of Islam, which then gives more weight to the idea that it can be achieved by violence.
“With the situation in Nigeria, it is hard to see the moral basis they have to defeat Boko Haram. They have created the conditions to make it possible for Boko Haram to behave the way they are behaving,” he added.
Bishop Kukah also noted that the only thing preventing Nigeria from being engulfed in civil war is the peaceful tenets of Christianity.
“Christians have every reason to feel insecure and also there is a general feeling of their marginalisation from the political process. If the principles of our religion were different, there would be a civil war by now.
“It is the glory of our religion that this hasn’t happened. It is difficult to preach peace in this context. Any resolution depends on how Christians decide to react. They won’t use violence but what will they do?” he asked.
Bishop Kukah said the Nigerian government, by allocating key government positions with hardline Muslims, gives tacit approval to such groups adding that “if the people in power don’t do enough to integrate Christians then they give oxygen to Islamism.
“If they have countries where everybody Muslim is in power, then you give vent to the idea that Islam should be supreme.”
He also voiced out against Western nations who he said are happy to mine the resources of Africa but not ready to defend its people.
His words: “Western nations are not doing enough. They have shown that the resources of Africa are more important than the ordinary people.
“Clearly, the western nations could have reduced the influence of Boko Haram by 80 or 90 percent but they have deliberately not done enough,” he concluded.
