Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria has warned the leadership of herdsmen under the auspices of Miyetti Allah to desist from ‘reckless statements’ capable of fueling crisis in Nigeria.
The religious body however called on security agencies to invite the National President of Miyetti Allah over a statement credited to him that Nigeria belongs to Fulani and the tribe will rule Nigeria forever.
Northern CAN, in a statement by its Vice Chairman, Rev John Joseph Hayab, stated categorically Nigeria does not belong to any ethnic group, section or religion but to every Nigerian.
According to the statement: “The newspaper story credited to the National President of one of the groups of Miyetti Allah who is quoted to have said that “Nigeria belongs to Fulani and they will rule forever” confirms and identifies those who do not wish Nigeria to live in peace and unity.
“Our stance is that no well-meaning individual should use the name of an association or platform like Miyetti Allah to make such serious divisive statements like the one above.
“The truth is that Nigeria does not belong to any ethnic group, section or religion but to every one of us. Making such false claims as that of MiYetti Allah’s President only creates tension and fuels crisis.
“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.
“All well-meaning members of the Miyatti Allah group need to urgently disassociate themselves from the provocative statement linked to the group as proof that the speaker is 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.
“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.
“Nigerians will wait and see what the Federal Government through her security agencies will do about this inflammatory statement unless if we have separate laws for different groups of people in this country.”
