The senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, has called on Northern Christians to unite to overcome challenges in the region.
Mr Enenche made the call during the Northern Christians Stakeholders’ Solemn Assembly programme on Sunday in Abuja.
The gathering of Christian leaders from Northern Nigeria was convened to address the existential threats facing Northern communities in the country, whether Christians or Muslims.
“Anytime people can be divided, they can be destroyed. It is either we hang together, or we hang separately. When the spirit of the people is united, they become irresistible and indestructible. I see a new Nigeria, a new northern Nigeria, where people can go freely, day or night, without fear of being killed,” Mr Enenche said.
Former Governor Jonathan Jang said awareness should always be raised and accountability demanded from those who perpetrate crimes to ensure they are not forgotten.
Mr Jang urged the media, human rights organisations, and governments to come together to amplify victims’ voices. He said that organisations that provide refuge, medical care, and basic services to the communities must be supported not only by the governments but also by individuals and faith-based organisations worldwide.
“We must advocate stronger international responses to these crimes, whether through the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, or other diplomatic channels. We must call for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief for all people, everywhere in Nigeria. We must ensure that communities that have been displaced or who are living under threat receive the humanitarian aid they need,” he said.
The chairman of the Plateau Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Gyang Buba, urged the federal and state governments to ensure that all displaced persons were safely returned to their ancestral lands.
He said, “All destroyed communities should be rebuilt to enable the people to return and pursue their legitimate lives. All nations desiring to assist in the rebuilding of peaceful societies should be rightly engaged and their offers accepted.
“As traditional rulers, we are very willing and desirous of full engagement and cooperation with the government at all levels and beyond religious sentiments.”
(NAN)
