By Sumaila Ogbaje
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN) has called on the Federal Government to urgently convene an inter-religious dialogue to douse tension generated by U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegation of Christian genocide.
NCSCN conveyed this advice in a communique issued after its emergency meeting in Abuja, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The communique, issued by the Communique Drafting Committee, was jointly signed by Mazi Oscar Kalu, Chairman, Alhaji Gambo Haruna, representative of media organisations, Mutaka Ghali, representative of Muslim Organisations, and Peter Ihekiedime, representative of Christian Organisations.
Other signatories are Hajia Hadiza Garba, member, Jessica Paul, member and Lawal Tosin, member.
Trump, in a recent post on Truth Social, alleged that Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, saying that thousands of Christians are being killed.
Trump’s comment has continued to elicit local and international reactions.
The communique said the leadership of NCSCN was compelled to convene the emergency national meeting as a result of growing international tension and media reactions over purported Christian genocide and continuous backlash on the Federal Government’s delay in appointing ambassadors to countries across the globe.
According to the communique, the civil society council should find a means of building an independent database of incidences and statistics of terrorist and bandit attacks, with specific categorisation of gender, age and religion of victims and affected families.
It recommended that: “The Federal Government should, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), urgently commence proper documentation and harmonisation of data on terrorist and bandit attacks.
“Such documentation will enable accurate information dissemination and reduce speculations and wrong narrations as currently going on within the international community over Christian genocide.
“That the Federal Government should urgently convene an Inter-Religious Dialogue on this burning issue of Christian Genocide, deploying the organised civil society to set the records straight and douse mounting tension across the federation.
“That President Bola Tinubu must prioritise the appointment of ambassadors and international lobbyists to safeguard Nigeria’s interests and promote the country’s growth and development and transmit list of ambassadors nominee to the Senate for confirmation not exceeding this month of November.
“That a national framework and mechanism for strategic lobbying be developed by the Federal Government; engaging competent hands and seasoned diplomats and international lobbyists.’’
According to the communique, the foreign relations and policies of a country are crucial to its National Development; therefore, the Nigerian Government must not take the current situation of accusation of Christian Genocide for granted.
It said the assertions from the international community, especially America, must be handled professionally, with the highest level of diplomacy and caution, by confronting the matter with verifiable facts and figures.
“In addition, running a nation for over two years without ambassadors to nations is highly detrimental to any government,’’ the communique said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo
