Top religious organizations, JNI, CAN oppose planned protests

Despite economic hardship in the country, top religious organizations, have appealed to organizers of the planned protest slated for August 1 to shelve their plans and engage in dialogue.

Those who appealed that the planned protest should be suspended included the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN)

They argued the protest could be hijacked by miscreants, leading to chaos and violence.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in a statement issued in Kaduna yesterday by its Secretary General, Prof. Khalid Aliyu, said although Nigerians were passing through difficult challenges, protest might not be the panacea.

According to the statement,”The calls for protest in Nigeria, occasioned by food insecurity, inflation, abject poverty and escalating national security challenges became worrisome and required immediate attention. However, the JNI under the leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, with all sense of responsibility appeals to the protest convener, their covert and overt benefactors as well as other critical stakeholders and the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently engage in critical and realistic dialogue before the situation degenerates or snowballs into an uncontrollable scenario.

Nigerians no doubt are passing through difficult challenges, but protest might not be the panacea. We should learn from the bad experiences of protests in other climes and we should avoid the bobby traps they had fallen into.

Therefore, the JNI is compelled to make this clarion call and passionate plea to all concerned parties. The Federal Government should make more frantic efforts to secure the country so that the citizens would have access to their lands”.

Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) called on citizens to exercise caution and consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement on Friday, warned that the protests could be hijacked by miscreants, leading to chaos and violence, as seen in previous protests.

The apex Christian body said, “We recognize and deeply empathize with the pain, anger, and frustration that many of our fellow Nigerians are experiencing. Peaceful protests are a powerful tool for civic engagement, allowing the populace to communicate their concerns and hold leaders accountable. However, the anxiety related to the impending protests is heightening, especially given the volatile experiences in countries like Kenya and Pakistan.

We urge all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. Dialogue, petitions, and town hall meetings are viable options that can yield positive results without the risk of disorder.

We call on the government to cut the cost of governance and expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. The government must implement the newly approved national minimum wage to provide immediate relief to struggling families. Specific measures must be taken to put an end to kidnappings, banditry, and mass killings that have plagued various parts of our country”.