Stop destruction of sacred places, religious leaders charge youths

THE immediate past president of the Christian Council of Nigeria, Most Rev. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, and former Chief Imam of the National Assembly Legislative Quarters Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid, on Tuesday, warned that the perennial attacks on sacred places and holy sites in the country may put the country on the precipice. 

According to figures collated from media reports of targeted attacks on churches and mosques in 2022, no fewer than 139 clerics and worshipers were killed across Nigeria and at least 394 religious faithful were kidnapped in the country. 

The clerics, who spoke at a one-day high-level engagement with youth religious leaders initiated by a KAICIID Fellow, Rev. Dr.Uzoaku Williams, with support from the International Dialogue Centre, KAICIID, in Abuja, said the attacks were unfortunate, adding that they threatened the freedom of religion, which they described as the bedrock of moral development.

Speaking on the theme of the workshop, ‘The Protection of Holy Sites and Sacred Places: The Role of Young Leaders’, Fubara-Manuel regretted that youths were often those used in the desecration of holy sites. According to him, “They are sometimes picked as political thugs or as misguided and misinformed youths about the history of their faiths or their communities and made to engage in war or in some destructive activities.”

In the same breath, Sheikh Nuru Khalid said the attacks on the worship centres in the country were the handiwork of the enemies of the country, stressing that worship centres are a place of refuge and must be protected by stakeholders.

“Accordingly, there are always two sets of human folks, the evil doers who promote distraction and reject the idea of togetherness in pursuing common good, and the righteous men who are passionate about development, shared values and protection of rights, lives and property. The former must be checked and prevented by the latter.

“Our youth have the greatest and effective role to play, considering the importance of their needs in securing a brighter future and changing the negative narrative of intolerance, religious conflict, mistrust and distraction of life and property, especially sacred places.”

On her part, Rev. Mrs. Uzoaku Williams explained that the aim of the high-level engagement was to sensitize and build the capacity of young religious leaders on their roles in protecting the holy sites, sacred sites, in the country, saying that is a major focus of the programme.