The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, wants northern leaders to do more than condemning each havoc caused by Boko Haram.
The Primate, who was on a sympathy visit to St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, where a bomb blast killed at least 43 people, also called on the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs to seriously tackle the matter.
Urgent steps, he told reporters, must be taken now to keep Nigeria one.
He said: “The message I have is that it is not everybody in our country that understands what it means to live in peace. Therefore, I make passionate appeal to some organisations and individuals I believe can help us to get out of this.
“The first group that I make my appeal to is the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (SCIA). That it is not enough to condemn the act. It is not enough to dissociate itself from it. They must take some pragmatic steps in the interest of all of us to bring about an end to this matter. There is no other body in a better position to speak to Boko Haram.
“The second group I make my appeal to is the Northern Governors’ Forum. They meet to discuss national issues and I don’t see any national issue that is more critical than this one; the issue of the security of the nation.
“If they can meet on other things, this is a critical issue that should engage their attention. They should find a solution to it. They are in a better position to find a solution to it.”
The Primate also appealed to the Arewa Consultative Forum to immediately convene an emergency session on the matter.
“They gather, they meet together to discuss what they consider to be of paramount interest to them. This is of paramount interest not only to the north but to the whole of Nigeria. In any case, if there is no Nigeria, there will be no north.
“I also make my appeal to the political elite in the National Assembly and those of them in the states. They should find a solution to this matter as a matter of urgency, because if there is no Nigeria, there will be no political office holders.
On his message to traditional rulers, he said: “They cannot distance themselves on this matter because if there is no Nigeria, there will be nowhere for them. This is the time to act. Anytime beyond this time will be too late.”
On claims by government officials to be on top of the situation when an end to the bombings does not appear to be in sight, he said: “The government business is an integrate business.
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Northern leaders, SCIA should do more than talking, says Anglican Primate