Insecurity: Govt meted injustice on IPOB members, says Cardinal Onaiyekan

Cardinal-Onaiyekan

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has faulted the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government’s adamancy in refusing to proscribe armed Fulani herdsmen as terrorists.
He also decried the manner in which the government handled the issue of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), lamenting that injustice was meted out on them Vanguard recalls that the federal government had proscribed IPOB following its declaration as a terrorist group. However, speaking at his Abuja residence during an interactive session with a faith-based group, Catholic Singles Forum (CSF), the Archbishop said: “The federal government was quick to declare Biafra agitators as terrorists. But Fulani herdsmen are killing people today and similar action has not been taken against them. “If something is not done about the security situation in the country, people will keep losing faith in the government and others might soon pick up arms to defend themselves,” he warned. The Catholic prelate also spoke on several other issues affecting Christians in the country such as the proliferation of churches and forgiveness. On the issue of proliferation of churches in Nigeria, Onaiyekan said: “Christianity has been turned into cliques that cause disunity as the proliferation of church across the country is not for the love of God but basically for survival.” On forgiveness, the Archbishop posited that God’s ways are not those of men; stressing that there is the possibility that even Judas Iscariot, one of the apostle of Jesus Christ who betrayed him, may have been forgiven and admitted into heaven. “I won’t disagree that Judas may have found his way into heaven. Therefore showing how wonderful and merciful God is. “You don’t lose anything when you forgive. The problem is people think they would be perceived as weak when they do so. Vengeance has never made the world a better place,” he said.

ReadHe also decried the manner in which the government handled the issue of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), lamenting that injustice was meted out on them Vanguard recalls that the federal government had proscribed IPOB following its declaration as a terrorist group. However, speaking at his Abuja residence during an interactive session with a faith-based group, Catholic Singles Forum (CSF), the Archbishop said: “The federal government was quick to declare Biafra agitators as terrorists. But Fulani herdsmen are killing people today and similar action has not been taken against them. “If something is not done about the security situation in the country, people will keep losing faith in the government and others might soon pick up arms to defend themselves,” he warned. The Catholic prelate also spoke on several other issues affecting Christians in the country such as the proliferation of churches and forgiveness. On the issue of proliferation of churches in Nigeria, Onaiyekan said: “Christianity has been turned into cliques that cause disunity as the proliferation of church across the country is not for the love of God but basically for survival.” On forgiveness, the Archbishop posited that God’s ways are not those of men; stressing that there is the possibility that even Judas Iscariot, one of the apostle of Jesus Christ who betrayed him, may have been forgiven and admitted into heaven. “I won’t disagree that Judas may have found his way into heaven. Therefore showing how wonderful and merciful God is. “You don’t lose anything when you forgive. The problem is people think they would be perceived as weak when they do so. Vengeance has never made the world a better place,” he said.