CAN attacks Islam again

Alabi Afin When leaders of Muslims in Nigeria talk, they addressed issues and not care about development of Xtianity in the country, but same cannot be said for Xtians leaders who seized every opportunity they had to attack Islam, it's institutions and personalities. CAN diatribe is getting worse by the day. They shouldn't plunge this nation into religious crisis. Read this piece: CAN wants governors to control Commissioners of Police Posted by: The Nation Christians are seeking an amendment to 1999 Constitution to enable governors control Commissioners of Police. Besides, they are recommending massive deployment of electronic and human intelligence gathering to overcome security challenges facing the nation. They also would like Nigerian to withdraw from foreign religious organizations, including the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). The Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) made its position known in a 20-page memo to the ongoing National Conference in Abuja. In the memo, which is sub-titled “That we all may be ONE”, has been submitted to the leadership of the National Conference being headed by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi. In the document, the organisation says the constitutional establishment and funding of Sharia Court amount to tacit adoption of Islam as a state religion. It sought for another amendment to the constitution which will ensure the establishment and funding of Ecclesiastical Courts for Christians in Nigeria.TCAN said: “By Section 14(2) of the Constitution of Nigeria (1999), state governors are chief security officers of their respective states. However, the law gave them responsibility for security of their respective states without giving them any corresponding powers to carry out this function. “It is recommended that Section 215 of the Constitution be amended to give state governors operational control over the Commissioner of Police in their respective states while their administrative control should reside in the Inspector-General of Police.” CAN challenged the government on the prevalent insecurity nationwide because Section 14(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution makes the security of the people the primary purpose of government. The memo added: “Government must rise to the occasion against the current level of insecurity and nip in the bud violent criminal tendencies masquerading in the name of religion and freedom of worship before it blossoms into a national religious crises to the detriment of us all. “Intelligence gathering machinery involving both electronic and human intelligence must be urgently developed and deployed for this new phase of insecurity. “Our borders must no longer remain porous. The movement of small or medium arms and ammunition into our country is massive and should be checked. “The menace of Fulani or other militia attacking villages in the late hours of the night under the guise of ‘unknown gunmen’ should be immediately checked before there is a sudden eruption of violence overwhelming the nation.” On national census, CAN asked the government to ensure that it reflects “both the religion and ethnicity of the citizens in all the states and local governments”. It demanded immediate withdrawal of Nigeria from membership of foreign religious organizations, such as OIC and the D8. “It is on record as a known fact that Nigeria is a member of some foreign religious organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) and Islam in Africa Organisation (IAC) and the D8 Group of Nations. “The membership of Nigeria in these religious organisations is (a) without any legislative approval of the National Assembly (b) a clear breach of the provision of Section 10 of the Constitution of Nigeria which prohibits the adoption of any religion as state religion because membership depicts Nigeria as an Islamic country; (c) the theocratic ideology behind the current bloodshed in our nation is traceable to these external influence.” On the fight against corruption, CAN recommended the “designation of some Federal and State High Courts within the existing court structure to handle corruption cases to the exclusion of all other cases to enable speedy trial and disposal of cases. “The present situation in which trial of corruption cases look like a legal picnic and purely theatrical can only serve the course of impunity.” The organisation claimed that the establishment of sharia courts was a “tacit adoption and promotion of Islam as State religion. “Christians therefore demand for constitutional amendment to make equivalent constitutional provisions for the establishment and funding of Ecclesiastical Courts for Christians in Nigeria. Equality of treatment is the life blood of all fundamental rights.” CAN faulted the government’s takeover of Christian mission schools without applying the same law to Islamic schools. It also queried the establishment of Almajir schools in some parts of the country. It said: “Ironically, government has never taken over any Islamic school but has been very busy establishing and funding Almajir schools which are purely religious schools. “This is a clear act of injustice, inequality and discrimination against Christians. Government should establish and fund new Christian schools corresponding to the standard of the Almajir schools being presently established to ensure equality of treatment to both religions and end the obvious discrimination. “Christians, therefore, demand the return of all Christian mission schools compulsorily taken over in 1972 to their owners with full financial grant for their rehabilitation.”