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MURIC Director, Ishaq Akintola |
MURIC director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Tuesday in a statement, described the k*lling as horrendous, ungodly and barbaric.
He added that any group that k*lls at will and sheds the blood of innocent people cannot represent Islam.
Akintola said: “What is the crime of Rev. Andimi? Being a Christian is not a crime. There are thousands of honest, hardworking, law-abiding and God-fearing Christians in this country. Every individual is free to follow any faith of his or her choice because the Qur’an forbids compulsion in religion (Glorious Qur’an 2:256) while the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion in Section 38 (i) & (ii).
“It is crystal clear from the antics of Boko Haram that the group is keen on igniting a religious war. They are deliberately targeting Christians for attacks in order to provoke the Nigerian Christian community. But they have failed.
“They have failed because Nigerians understand what Boko Haram is doing. We will not fall into Boko Haram’s trap. We call on all Nigerians regardless of religious background to unite against Boko Haram. We must stand up together to fight the evil in our midst.
“Our hearts are heavy as we remember the bereaved family. But we are assured in the global reach of God’s divine umbrella. Only Him can console them. Only Him can heal. We pray that the Almighty God will give succour to members of the deceased’s family, his friends and associates.
“Many Imams and high profile Shaykhs have been k*lled by these same insurgents. We are all losing our loved and respected clerics, friends and family members. We are all victims. Let us console ourselves and strengthen our position with prayers instead of resorting to blame game.”