Presidency says the recent ‘prayer walk’ by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and the Christian Association of Nigeria over security situations represent the peaceful right of all Nigerians to express their views on matters of religion, ethics, politics, and society.
The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
The presidential aide noted that the CAN peace walk originated from the “shocking, unacceptable death of Pastor Lawan Andimi at the hands of Boko Haram.
“The President feels their pain, and that of his family, for his loss.”
According to Shehu, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), believes, as does every member of his regime, both Christian and Muslim in the words of CAN’s placards: “All life is sacred.”
The president, therefore, maintained that whether Christian or Muslim, all Nigerians, and their beliefs must be respected.
He said, “The duty of all of us is to uphold the rights of others to worship according to their faith – and to respect the rights of each other to do so freely in the spirit of brotherhood and respect – and without interference.
“This means, however, that we must stop false claims that only serve to divide one community against the other.
“There is no place in Nigeria for those who politicise religion. This is the President’s message to both Muslim and Christian communities alike.”
Shehu further described the CAN-inspired prayers and street enlightenment as a welcome development, saying all well-meaning citizens should join the ongoing fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and corrupt practices.
He said, “In the light of this, the CAN-inspired prayers and street enlightenment in our cities are much welcome as sensitisers to the need for all citizens irrespective of faith, religion or language to accept their duty and role in law enforcement, to prevent crime in all its manifestations, be it corruption, theft, terrorism, banditry or kidnapping.