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By Anthony Maliki
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Taraba State has expressed concern over a trending video clips by some Islamic Clerics from outside the state threatening religious war and the establishment of a sharia Islamic government in Taraba over the recent APC governorship primaries which a Christian, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha was announced the flagbearer.
CAN said ordinarily it could have overlooked threats but because it is coming from religious leaders and preachers and people that supposed to preach peace, has to respond and make some records straight.
The Chairman, CAN, Taraba State Chapter, Rev. Dr. Isaiah Magaji Jirapye expressed the concern in a statement in Jalingo on Sunday.
According to him, CAN is not a participant in a partisan politics, but has observed with dismayed the threats on Christians in Taraba State and an attempt to instigate religious unrest from some Islamic Clerics from across Nigeria.
He said CAN in the state and indeed well-meaning Nigerians are in great shocked that a purely political party affairs and activities could be given a religious colouration and draws such segregation capable of destabilizing the entire nation.
Rev. Dr. Jirapye said the message in the video clips gave the impressions that APC belong to the Muslims, the claimed which is very wrong and indeed untrue.
He said there are both Christians and Muslims in all the political parties and can be proven by all and the records.
“How did these people come to a conclusion that Taraba is 65% Muslim and 35% Christians. What is the source of their statistics? We could have loved to go down the memory lane but because it is coming from outsiders, we count it as ignorance. Taraba State since inception has been governed by Christian while the Muslims have the Deputy Governor slot. Why the miss information and even blaspheming Christians by using insulting words such as ‘masu bauta wa gunki’ and ‘Arne’, the chairman lamented.
He pointed out that CAN viewed all the several videos as calculated plots to set the state on crisis by outside forces who are not happy with the peace Taraba is enjoying.
Rev. Dr. Jirapye noted that Taraba State has a long-standing history of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence amongst Christians and Muslims even in politics and CAN cannot accept anyone from whatever disguise to threatened and intisgate crisis just to see the state destroyed and in ruin as they did in other places.
The chairman called on intelligence agencies and the Federal government to expedite actions and apprehend and prosecute the individuals in the videos before they throw the state and indeed Nigeria into avoidable bloodshed.
It pointed out that if anything happens to believers in the state and especially Senator Emmanuel Bwacha they should be held accountable.
