The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has called on Nigerians protesting against the high cost of living to call off their actions and give the government a chance to address the situation.
NIREC acknowledged the widespread hunger and hardship in the country but emphasized that civil unrest is not the solution, warning that it would only exacerbate the already fragile state of the nation.
In a joint statement, Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar; President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh; and Executive Secretary, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, made the plea.
The statement titled, “Call for Calm”, reads:
“The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), under the leadership of His Eminence Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and His Eminence, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) observes with heavy heart the happenings in the country at the moment.
“The protest that commenced in a peaceful manner on Thursday, August 1, 2024, despite pleas from all quarters, took a turn for the worse and became violent later in the day. In just a few hours, lives and property were lost due to this unfortunate scenario.
“It is without doubt that there is hunger and hardship in the country, but civil unrest is not the solution as it would only further aggravate the already frail state of the nation. NIREC hereby calls on fellow citizens of Nigeria to please call off this protest and give the Government a chance to redeem itself.
“In just one day, lives and an enormous amount of property have been destroyed. Imagine if this continues for a prolonged period of time, only God knows the extent of damage that would be incurred. The Council calls on the security agencies to be more professional in the discharge of their duties.
“NIREC urges the government to expedite action towards meeting the yearnings and needs of the citizens. We need a peaceful and tranquil nation we can be proud to call our own. May God bless us all.”
