Killing Christians The Only Offence Without Consequences In Northern Nigeria — Kukah
- Decries non-prosecution of suspects
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah has described as unfortunate and justice denied the persistent non-prosecution of suspects who engineer and perpetrate deadly attacks on Christians in Northern Nigeria.
He said despite all the violence against Christians across the region, there has been evident absence of justice for the victims and their families.
Voicing strong criticism over the continued persecution of Christians in the North, Bishop Kukah expressed deep frustration at the lack of legal consequences for those responsible for the numerous attacks
The respected Clergy, who spoke virtually at the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba Nigeria Eko Subordinate Council on Sunday in Lagos, expressed deep concern over several instances of unpunished violence and decried the impunity that allows such dastardly acts to persist.
He lamented that no one has ever been held accountable and prosecuted for the burning of churches or the destruction of properties belonging to Christians in the region.
Citing specific incidents, such as the open slaughter of a pastor in Adamawa and the killings of priests in Benue and Kaduna, as well as pervasive fear and discrimination faced by the Christian community in the region, Bishop Kukah regretted that these crimes seem to occur without consequences to their perpetrators.
He said; “If you look at our country, in Northern Nigeria, Christians are among the groups you can kill without consequences,” Bishop Kukah stated. “Has anybody ever been charged for burning churches or destroying Christian properties? A pastor was slaughtered openly in Adamawa, priests were killed in Benue, and priests have been killed in Kaduna.
“It seems as if killing Christians is the only thing the world can do without consequences. If we are serious as Christians, what happens to the church in Sokoto, Onitsha, or anywhere in this country should affect us all. Tragically, Christianity has become largely subordinated to ethnicity.”
Bishop Kukah also addressed the ongoing denial of land for building churches in certain parts of Northern Nigeria, saying; “Many people today still have a caliphate mentality that those who are not part of us must be against us. Christians are being denied lands to build churches, and it is not seen as a problem.”
Also reflecting on the challenges of his ministry assignment in Sokoto, he recounted the loss of a Seminarian, the kidnapping of priests, and the fear that accompanies such dangers.
However, Bishop Kukah affirmed his resolve to continue the Christian work despite the enormous risks involved, saying; “When martyrdom comes to us, we embrace it; we are not in retreat”.
While challenging Christians to unite beyond ethnic divisions and face the challenges with courage and resilience, the Catholic Priest criticized the growing ethnic and religious polarization in Nigeria, warning that it has tainted the Christian faith.
He said it is imperative unity to view the suffering of any Christian as a collective concern, adding that the need for solidarity comes in the wake of numerous cases where Christians have been denied the right to build churches or subjected to violence without legal recourse.
In his remarks, the event’s Worthy Grand Knight, Sir Tony Nnachetta, described the anniversary celebration as a moment of gratitude for the past 25 years of Catholic action.
He said the Church has initiated a N50 million project to build an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centre for 10 public schools in Lagos.
Sir Nnachetta disclosed that the Centres will soon commence operations in collaboration with the Lagos State government.
