Security agencies must act against provocative religious remarks – Enenche

The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, has criticised security agencies for failing to invite Islamic cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Jingir, over his recent comments advocating a Muslim-Muslim political arrangement in Nigeria.

Enenche, who spoke during a sermon on Sunday, said security agencies should have acted against statements capable of provoking religious tension and violence in the country.

The pastor described as unacceptable the suggestion that Christianity should be regarded as subordinate to any other religion in Nigeria, insisting that Christians constitute a significant part of the country’s population.

He said, “Christianity is not secondary, and no group of religious fanatics will ever make it secondary. Not you, not any political group of people will ever make Christianity secondary to any.”

Enenche also questioned why security agencies had not invited the cleric for questioning over his comments, arguing that allowing individuals to make what he described as reckless statements without consequence could threaten national peace.

He said, “I blame security forces for allowing people to make reckless statements. You allow them still moving on the road, allow them still moving, not knowing that such a statement can incite instant violence.”

The pastor added that authorities should have taken steps to establish whether the comments could incite violence, rather than allowing the speaker to continue making such statements publicly.

“People are messing up and destroying the nation; they are walking free of charge, and they are talking,” he said.

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Enenche further warned against taking the Christian community for granted, saying Christians had remained calm despite what he described as provocative statements.

“Nobody should take the church in this nation for granted. Don’t take the church for granted,” he said.

The cleric also rejected any suggestion of Christian inferiority in Nigeria, saying Christians could be found in large numbers across all parts of the country.

His comments followed controversy generated by the Chairman of the Ulama Council of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah, Sheikh Muhammad Jingir, who recently advocated the continued adoption of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Jingir had, at a special wedding reception organised by the Kano State Government for 1,500 couples whose weddings it sponsored, urged Muslims to vote in a manner that would demonstrate their numerical strength.

Amid reactions to his comments, Jingir told the BBC that he had no regret over his advocacy for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, stressing that he had held the position long before the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The comments have attracted reactions from various quarters, including the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, and Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode.