The influential Islamic group- Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI)- yesterday reacted angrily to the statement credited to the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, that Christians will henceforth defend themselves, saying that the CAN leader has, by his utterance, declared war on Nigerian Muslims.
But the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) disagreed with the JNI, arguing that those who have been bombing churches are the ones that have declared war on their fellow citizens.
The Secretary General of the Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, at a press conference in Kaduna where he spoke extensively on the letter presented by CAN to the President on the Madalla massacre, described the CAN President as "intolerant."
He said Pastor Oritsejafor's conduct was unbecoming of a religious leader.
The JNI scribe said: "He went right into the heart of Aso Rock Villa to threaten the government and to say whatever he had to say before the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He also accused the Muslim leadership, the religious scholars and other leaders within the Muslim community.
"He blamed the attack also on religious and traditional rulers whom he said are not publicly condemning this upsurge of bomb attacks. This statement is an unguarded utterance and is intended to incite and instigate Christians against Muslims in this country.
"In essence, the man has already called for war. He said that there is going to be a civil war in this country. It is very astonishing for such a person to say that Muslims have not condemned the act when more than two dozens of prominent Muslim scholars have condemned what happened at Madalla.
"Apart from that, the governor of Niger State and other traditional leaders have been there. The Sultan himself has declared that the attack was unIslamic and yet, he said that was unacceptable. We don't know whether he wants us to jump the gun and arrest faceless people whom the government has not been able to arrest and then kill them by shooting them.
"What he wants is for us to apply jungle justice on them. Do we have that legal authority to begin to chase people that we don't even know? Therefore, this statement is contempt on the Sultan of Sokoto who is the President General of Jama'atu Nasril Islam and Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
It is also contempt on the Muslim clerics who have come to condemn these acts.
"Where were they when Muslims were attacked during the Eid-Fitr celebration that preceeded the month of Ramadan in Plateau State where Muslims were attacked, killed and maimed? Sixteen people were not only slaughtered, but roasted and eaten.
"Why is this thing looking like a conspiracy of silence from the media both local and foreign? Are Muslims animals? Are they not citizens of this country? Why is it always silence when something happened against the Muslims. Who reported the Southern Kaduna genocide?
"Are you telling me that there were no Muslims killed in the Madalla bomb blast? In Maiduguri and Damaturu, was it not the Muslims that were killed in their numbers? I think that the CAN President is an intolerant person and his statements are pregnant with very dangerous trends that are capable of telling Christians to attack Muslims.
"I think that his statement is even more dangerous than these acts and I think that the government should call him to order. The government should call him to order for going to Aso Rock and calling the government incompetent before the President. How can you say such things and say you want to pray?
"Oritsejafor has gone further to criticise Islam and called Islam all sorts of names and according to him, they are ready for war against Muslims. But Muslims are very tolerant people and we are calling on all Muslims to be calm and be law abiding and continue to be prayerful against this trend.
"We cannot be intimidated by these threats and intimidations. We are peaceful people, we respect the laws of the country and we cannot jump over the fence of government because they are charged with the full responsibility of providing security for the lives and property of the people.
"Therefore, we will not go beyond that. We will not attack anybody. It is very disheartening when the western media says that Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015. There may be an underground conspiracy to achieve that by creating chaos in the country.
"The Sultan has said it loud and clear that Muslims are not at war with Christians, but Oritsejafor says that Christians are at war with Muslims. As Muslims, we will not lower ourselves to such unruly attitude."
However, in a statement in Kaduna, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria said the Christmas day bombing at Madallah was shameful and a crime against God and humanity. It called for prayer and fasting by all Nigerians on December 31, 2011.
The Catholic Bishops in the statetment signed by Dr. Alaba Job, said by bombing churches, Boko Haram has apparently declared war on the nation and called on Muslim leaders in the country to take immediate steps to stop the movement.
They said: "The Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for this shameful crime against God and humanity. We use this opportunity to call on our peace-loving Muslims, especially their leaders from the political, economic, social and religious spectrums, not only to publicly denounce but for their own good and the good of Nigeria, to be proactive and to do everything positive to end this movement.
"This group has apparently declared war on Nigeria, and at times of war, nations count on their reserves. It is apparent that if we depend only on our available active security agents, we shall not make progress. I therefore call on Mr President to recall retired experts in criminology and employ foreign experts in this field to assist the active security agents to put an immediate end to Boko Haram menace.
