The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has accused Catholic bishop of Nsukka, Godfrey Onah of triggering the recent attack on Muslims in the local government area in which two mosques were burnt and businesses destroyed.
The NSCIA in its petition to the Inspector-General of Police, alleged that Onah’s “hateful and inciteful sermon, full of lies and fallacies” incited the violence and virulent attack on Muslims in Nsukka.
According to NSCIA in a petition signed by its deputy secretary general Salisu Shehu, the “massacre of Muslims in the South-East and South-South if left unchecked could surely ignite reprisals in other parts of the country, especially the North.”
It read;
“On Saturday, 31 October, 2020, as a result of a hateful and inciteful sermon, full of lies and fallacies, delivered by one Bishop, Reverend Father Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, some Christians unleashed violent and virulent attack on Muslims in Nsukka and burnt their Mosques.
“We are yet to confirm the number of casualties. In the sermon attached, it was clear that the Bishop instigated the worshippers against Mosques and Muslims.
“The recurrence of these kinds of incessant arson and massacre of Muslims in the South-East and South-South if left unchecked could surely ignite reprisals in other parts of the country, especially the North. It has therefore become imperatively urgent to proactively bring an end to these criminality.
“In view of the above, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), on behalf of the entire Nigerian Muslim Ummah hereby reiterates our call on you Sir, to rise up to this challenge and protect the lives and property of Muslims in the South-East and South-South as bonafide citizens of Nigeria who should live peacefully in any part of the Country.
“Specifically, we also implore you to as a matter of urgency interrogate Reverend Father Godfrey Igwebuike Onah on his hate speech, inciteful sermon of lies fabricated to provoke hatred for the Muslims.”
