The Rivers State Police Command on Thursday, in preparation against the activities of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram set up a forum where both Muslims and Christians in the state to brainstorm on how they can continue to live together peacefully.
Boko Haram Members
The meeting which was held at the Police Officers Mess, Port Harcourt the state capital, was aimed at uniting all the religions together to fight the insurgency that is currently bedeviling the country.
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According to representatives of the two religions, the meeting became very imperative especially at a time like this when terrorism is threatening the corporate existence of all Nigerians.
Rev. Paulicarp Henetu of the Catholic Diocese remarked that the forum was a welcome development geared towards the coming together of all religions to fight terrorism in the country.
“This is very significant because it is the responsibility of the police to protect all of us. But the way things have turned out today, we all must be involved in the protection of our environment and ourselves” he said.
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Responding also, the state chapter of Director of Women Affairs of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Hajia Khadeejah Pepple, commended the police for organising the forum, adding that it was very timely because of the incessant bombings that have claimed several innocent lives.
“These days we cannot sleep with our eyes closed. Even in our worship centres, we worship with fear. We have to be at alert every moment of the day. Before now, we thought that terrorism was far away from us but today it is here with us” she said.
The terrorist group which has its strong hold in the northeastern part of the country, Cameroon and Niger, has launched several deadly attacks and bombings which have claimed thousands of innocent lives in their quest to Islamise the country and put an end to what they termed “westernisation”.
The sect abducted of over 234 school girls from GGSS, Chibok, Borno State. They recently killed scores of people in Adamawa State. Their activities have attracted international communities like France, China, Israel, Britain and the U.S, Government, who on Monday gave the Nigerian army a special weapon to destroy the sect.