Southern Kaduna: Hate speeches by religious leaders, politicians aggravate crises – CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria, Moro’a Chiefdom chapter, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State says hate speeches by religious and political office holders are aggravating the crisis in southern Kaduna.
The association’s scribe in the Chiefdom, Rev. Mapunu Yohanna, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Kaduna.
Yohanna said the area was being heated up by different versions of hate speeches that continued to be spread by various politicians, religious and traditional leaders.
He said politicians and religious leaders were sabotaging peace efforts in the area with discriminatory, bias and sentimental comments.
He described hate speeches as virus that continued to threaten the peace in the southern part of the state and the country at large.
Yohanna said government, religious and traditional leaders had a duty to ensure peaceful coexistence among various ethnic and religious groups under their care.
According to him, peace will continue to elude the area if this ugly trend is not addressed.
He said: “What we need to be doing is to help healed the wounds and pains of aggrieved people.
“It is our duty to remove all forms of prejudice, intolerance or hatred based on ethnicity, religion and political views among our people.”
The clergy commended government’s efforts in ensuring that peace returned to the area, adding that step should also be taken to cub hate speeches.
He urged all relevant stakeholders to intensify efforts in preaching love, tolerance and peaceful coexistence irrespective of religious, ethnic and political divide.
NAN.