By John Ikani
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to stop being hypocritical with his annual Christmas wishes, stressing that they fly in the face of incessant attacks on Christians by Islamic extremists in the North.
Bishop Kukah made the call on Monday morning during an interview with ARISE TV monitored by Heritage Times [HT].
According to him, Buhari cannot be wishing Christians merry Christmas when many Christians in Northern Nigeria are living in fear under his watch.
The prelate was reacting to developments on the trial of the killers of Deborah Samuel, a student murdered and set ablaze by a jihadist in Sokoto over a blasphemy claim.
“The governor (Aminu Tambuwal) simply announced that these people who did this were going to be tried. How could that provoke young people to go and start destroying the properties of Christians? These things were done openly,” he lamented.
“When a president (Muhammadu Buhari) wants to wish me happy Christmas, I need to hear him say nobody should lose their lives because somebody stands up somewhere and says he wants to defend his religion. Christians have remained vulnerable. Their businesses remain objects of target practice,” he stressed.
“So when people tell me we are wishing you (a) happy Christmas, we need you to walk the talk. Christians living in northern Nigeria are living in fear despite our massive contribution to economic well-being and (and we’re) law-abiding because we don’t know what will happen next,” said Kukah.
He further lamented that “I’m sitting here in Sokoto. My parishioners are moving out in droves. Everyone is tired.”
What you should know
Bishop Kukah has been very vocal on the frightening state of the nation and gross inadequacies of the Buhari administration.
Just yesterday, the cleric released a Christmas message stressing that
Buhari whose tenure expires next year, is leaving Nigeria far worse than he met it.
He again berated President Muhammadu Buhari regime for nepotism and corruption, adding that the regime made lofty promises but could not deliver on them.
Kukah’s verdict on Buhari gets numerous support, it has also been met with criticism and accompanying threats aimed at silencing the Bishop. However, the cleric seems not to be intimidated.
