Group urges FG on establishment of Sharia court in minority southern areas
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
Da’awah Coordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN), has urged the Federal Government to establish sharia court in muslim minority areas of the southern region of the country, adding that just like Christian minority areas in the northern region who have access to customary courts.
The group stated this on Saturday, in a 21-point communique marking the end of the 3rd national summit, with the theme ‘Peaceful Co-existence Social Cohesion and National Development’, attended by over 50 Muslim and Christian organisations.
According to the communique which was signed by Lawal Maidoki, President of DCCN and Engr. Ahmad M.Y, National General Secretary, the creation of sharia court in minority southern areas would give an equal right balance, in promoting peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.
The forum also bemoaned the security challenges, while urging the government to empower the traditional institution, enforce forest rangers as well consider the deployment of Geographical Information System (GIS) as possible means of tracking criminals.
The communique partly stated, “The Summit also calls on the governments to recognise and do something to redress the deteriorating condition of the citizens with regards to insecurity, rising inflation rate, food supply and the general condition of living in the country. The summit further reiterated that, we must admit the truth of the condition; the country is presently in.
“The summit also calls on the federal government to collaborate with NIREC and DCCN to organise workshop/conferences at all state levels of the federation, to sensitise the youths and the low educated preachers to achieve the goal of peaceful coexistence.
“The summit also recommends that, the state/federal government should establish the ministry of religious affairs to regulate, among other things; the conducts and qualifications of Preachers.
“The summit also urge the governments to re-empower the traditional rulers to make them more functional at their respective leadership level to help in sanitising and curbing the security menace, such as: herders and farmers crisis and other social vices in their domains.
“The summit calls on NIREC and Traditional Leaders to further strengthen mutual respect and understanding among Nigerians with a view to strengthen peaceful coexistence and end insecurity in Nigeria.
“The summit calls on the government to establish shariah courts in muslim minority areas of the southern region of the country just like Christian minority in the northern region have access to customary courts. This will give an equal right balance and promoting peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.
“The summit recommends, as a matter of urgency, to the Federal and State governments to enforce the Forest Rangers and consider the digitalization like, Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping for easy control and tracking of criminal activities in our forests.”
While lamenting the killings across the country, DCCN stressed that tolerance, love should prevail, adding that the media had greater responsibility to stem the tide.
“The summit condemns in strong terms all killings by criminals in the name of religion or ethnicity and condoles with those who lost members of their family and their loved ones.
“The summit calls on government to establish NIREC at the state and L.G.A. level and to empower them to use resources at their disposal to promote peaceful coexistence among different religious and ethnic groups as well as building the capacity of our youth at the grassroots level.
“The summit calls on all the various religious leaders and all Nigerians to embrace love, tolerance and understanding. They are further urged to eschew all forms of hate speeches, mudslinging and misguided utterances, as a way forward out of our current insecurity, fear, arson and instability.
“The social media users should be responsible and desist from writing and posting all sort of inflammatory statements. The summit calls on the law enforcement agencies concern to task the cybercrime unit to track and punish social media abusers who post abusive language and bring them to book.
“The summit calls on the print and electronic media to desist from broadcasting and publishing any programme or write up that endangers the peaceful co-existence of the country. And also advised to always carryout investigative journalism, by verifying their facts before going to press,” the communique added.
