The Presidency on Tuesday added a fresh twist to the demand for the sacking of service chiefs, saying doing such would create cracks in the country and threaten national unity.
The Presidency specifically stated that there are processes that should be followed in the disengagement of heads of security agencies insisting that “at the opportune time, those processes will be followed.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, broke the silence of the Federal Government at the National Christian Centre, Abuja during the public presentation of a book entitled: “CAN, Religion and Power in Nigeria”, written by a former General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Samuel Salifu.
He said, “Well, I don’t think this (sacking of service chiefs) is appropriate for this forum; you don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune time, those processes will be followed. You don’t just wake up and say, ‘sack people’, it doesn’t happen like that.
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“We are in a very difficult time now. We need everybody to be on board. We need synergy within intelligent community, within the military formations that will help fight this war. We are in a very difficult situation and when we begin to create cracks and divisions who will be the beneficiaries?
“The adversaries are the ones that are going to exploit those deficiencies and further the cause of destabilising the nation. At this moment, what we need is for everybody to be on the same page, fight the battle of securing the nation for protecting lives and property and ensuring that every Nigerian has the opportunity to live a prosperous live. I think that should be our main focus.”
The SGF described the book as a reservoir of information, history and past years of struggle.
“That is the reason why we are in government. We are to show forth the righteousness of Christ in government. Righteousness exalts a nation. For those of us that find ourselves in the position of government, we are stewards and we are accountable to the Almighty after the exercise of our offices.
“God in his infinite mercy will continuously watch over the affairs of our country and at the end of the day it is only his will that shall be done”, Mustapha stated.
At the event, Ijaw leader and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, represented by a former Nigerian Ambassador to Scandinavia, Godknows Igali, attributed the insecurity and disunity in the country to religious difference.
According to him, the entire world had been watching how the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), would handle the next appointment for the Presidency of the Court of Appeal when the position becomes vacant on March 4, 2020 and that of the Service Chiefs.
Clark said, “I am very happy that the National Assembly, the Senate, wants to amend our constitution. Like I stated recently in the media, religion, should be one of the critical areas the Senate should look into. Religious difference has been one of the main problems causing insecurity and disunity in the country.
“No religion should be regarded as superior to the other, or be given priority consideration. For instance, the whole country and indeed the international community is watching out to see how Mr. President will handle the next appointments for the Presidency of the Court of Appeal as the current occupier bows out and the position becomes vacant on March 4, 2020. It is also the same for the Service Chiefs which will soon be vacant. My prayer is that Mr. President will do the correct thing”.
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The President of CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, advised government to put an end to the killings in the country,
He said, “Whatever is happening now will become history. This is why we should speak to those in government. Write good history about yourself. Let Nigerians know you for peace. I have said it again and again that the type of bloodshed that is going on now in Nigeria is not going to be a good history that we are going to recall.
“It will be good to make sure that those in government fight violence in Nigeria. Because if they fail to accomplish a Nigeria where there is peace and security, it will be sad and it will be part of their history forever and ever. Let us appeal to those in power to write history that we all will be proud of.”
A former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan expressed concern over the rate of killings in Nigeria.
He said Nigeria would stand and flourish only when Muslims and Christians can walk together to make religion a factor of stability, unity, peace and prosperity.
We must insist on that because I do not see any option. There is an easy way to peace and prosperity than through the way of war. With all the terrible things that are going wrong in Nigeria, we do not want to arrive at that situation where you can now arrange a meeting and not be able to attend.
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“Things are very hard but it could be better. The priority of the Christian faith is not negotiable which everybody knows that. Please, if somebody says he is persecuted, don’t tell him that he is not persecuted. While people say that they are prosecuted, let no one say that are not. It is for them to say how they are feeling.
“There are many Christians in Nigeria who feel persecuted. Please allow them to cry, so as to know when to help to stop those things which at making them to cry. We must live for all. So the God that created the Boko Haram sects is the same God that created me. We must find a way of getting ourselves together. In Nigeria, it should be easy for us to see ourselves as human beings, as brothers and sisters”.
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