Christian genocide not possible in Nigeria

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

An elder statesman and former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani, has disagreed with the American government that there was genocide of Christians in Nigeria.

Sani, in a statement, said it was not possible to have Christian genocide in the country, citing some instances where Muslims attacked and killed fellow Muslims.

He cautioned that “people should not provide criminals with platforms upon which they can stand and perpetrate crimes, knowing it is hard to prosecute ethnicity and religion.”

Sani argued that “Christian genocide is not possible in Nigeria. This is because in North East, Kanuri in Boko Haram kill Kanuri who are mostly Muslims.

“In North West Hausa Fulanis bandits and kidnappers who are Muslims kill Hausa Fulanis Muslims.

“In North Central zone, it is herders/farmers clashes whose victims are either Christians or Muslims. Recall Gana leaders of killers in Benue State was a Tiv man. The recent arrests in Benue State showed they were indigenes who are non-Muslims.

“In the South East, Governor Soludo said 99.9% of the killers are Igbos. Femi Falana said the same thing of the killing in SW. Those in Niger Delta are militants killing for oil.

“It is against such backdrop that I said there is swarm of locusts in the land, but we do not know the pests. As a result we have not found the pesticides. That is why I also said Nigeria is at war with itself.

“And if we give it religious or ethnic coloration, we run the risk of triggering sectarian conflict.

“In any case, it is too early to forget how some Americans said Nigeria would be no more by 2015 due to conflict, but it did not come to pass.”