CAN to FG: Invite Miyetti Allah president over inflammatory statement

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Director General of the State Security Service and the Inspector General of Police to invite the National President of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo.

He also said that the association has concluded arrangements to flag-off its own security outfit.

But CAN Vice Chairman for the 19 northern states, John Joseph Hayab, in a statement, said that the “newspaper story credited to the National President of one of the groups of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore confirms and identifies those who do not wish Nigeria to live in peace and unity.”

Hayab said no well-meaning individual should use the name of an association or platform like Miyetti Allah to make such serious divisive statements, adding that Nigeria does not belong to any ethnic group, section or religion but to everyone. He described the statement attributed to Bodejo as false which he said only creates tension and fuels crisis.

According to him, Nigerians will wait and see what the Federal Government through her security agencies will do about such an inflammatory statement.

“CAN, therefore, calls on the Federal Government through the DG SSS and IGP to have a session with the ethnic superiority champion to school him on the diversity of Nigeria and the need for restraint from such reckless statements,” he stated.

He urged all well-meaning members of Miyetti Allah to urgently disassociate themselves from what he described as Bodejo’s provocative statement as proof that the speaker was not playing a script.

“Without a doubt, there are members of Miyetti Allah who love this country genuinely, craving to see the country grow in peace and develop in every sphere reckon that the statement credited to the group’s President is not a popular view, as such, needs to be publicly opposed,” he said.

According to Hayab: “Nigeria’s problems are numerous; from insecurity to bad economy and now the Covid-19.

“CAN, therefore, does not want to add to the barrage of problems the country faces by letting unscrupulous people make grave and ungodly utterances that have dangerous security implications.”

Meanwhile, Bodejo, in a reaction to CAN’s call for his invitation by security agencies, said the statement credited to him is a blatant fabricated lie.

He, however, clarified what he said in reaction to the establishment of Amotekun security outfit is that: “That Fulbe (Fulani) will pursue their legitimate business anywhere in Nigeria as the country is as much their inheritance as it is of other groups.”

He said he was surprised that a distorted version of his comment had gone viral on social media, adding that “Miyetti Allah refutes this news report and condemns the inherent mischief by the enemies of the Fulbe for this diabolical act.

“With or without Miyetti Allah, the Fulbe have the ability, capacity and right to defend themselves in Nigeria and indeed anywhere.

“Let those who wish this our great country ill to look for other means but leave the Fulbe alone.

“We have enough of our problems without adding salt to injury.” (Daily Trust)