Stop Beating War Drums Over Criminals, Bishop Onuoha Warns Nigerians
BY EVELYN DADU, ABUJA – The Co-chairman of the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), Bishop Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, has called on Nigerians to be wary of comments credited to some highly placed individuals and groups over the poor handling of criminal elements in the country to avert yet another civil war.
The outspoken cleric, who is gravely pained by the level of quit notice(s) given to groups/individuals in some parts of Nigeria, stressed that if such notice(s) is not properly handled, it was capable of causing war between groups. He pleaded with government at all levels to mediate in such situations in order to forestall a breach of peace in Nigeria at large.
Bishop Onuoha, who is the President of Vision Africa International, was speaking on the sidelines of security challenges, comments and actions of individuals in the country. He called on Nigerians, irrespective of political, religious and ethnic divide, to be careful in drawing lines of argument, stressing that Nigeria was yet to recover from the Civil War that was fought over 51 years ago.
The 2013 Global Peace Award Winner said he was worried about the utterances by individuals in the country, including various groups that have taken sides over what they perceive as poor handling of crimes by government at all levels. The cleric expressed apprehension that such unguarded utterances have the potentials of tearing the country apart.
Bishop Onuoha recounted in melancholy his childhood experiences and pain during the Nigerian civil war and revealed that such despicable experiences are ever fresh in his memory. Considering the bad reminiscence of the last civil war, the Methodist Bishop said he was opposed to any possibility of yet another civil war that has the propensity to destabilise the country and render the labor of past heroes in vain.
The Bishop called on those fueling violence in different parts of Nigeria to shun their actions and toe the path of peace, as he said that the absence of peace is inimical to the development of any nation. He further warned that the absence of peace means anarchy, just as he noted that any act of violence, apart from banditry, kidnapping and Boko Haram insurgents, will further throw the country into chaos.
Calling on the Federal Government to fish out criminal elements destroying farmlands, raping women and kidnapping people in different parts of the country, Bishop Onuoha said these crimes are not perpetrated by traditional cattle/farmers known to Nigerians.
“The Federal Government must, as a matter of urgency, identify unscrupulous elements terrorising the citizenry so as to protect the citizens as they go about their legitimate businesses in different parts of the country. Once injustice and insecurity remain unchecked, people will subscribe to self-protection in defending their lands and property,” he added.
