The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has strongly condemned the current assertion by Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi alleging that Christians within the Center Belt are “burying empty coffins” to manufacture a story of genocide.
The condemnation was contained in an announcement signed by the PFN Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, and made accessible to the press.
Ukafia described Gumi’s declare as baseless, inflammatory and one which collapses beneath the slightest scrutiny.
“Throughout Nigerian cultures—Christian, Muslim and conventional—there isn’t a apply of burying empty coffins,” Gumi reportedly stated.
“Funerals are communal, identity-based rites anchored on actual names, actual households and actual histories. The concept whole communities are staging pretend burials with no single whistleblower or inconsistency shouldn’t be solely illogical however deeply insulting.”
Ukafia famous that Nigeria has recorded 1000’s of real victims of terrorism and banditry, including that there isn’t a want for anybody to “invent” casualties.
He stated the tragedies are nicely documented by humanitarian teams, worldwide observers, satellite tv for pc imagery and the media.
He additional described Gumi’s allegation as propaganda and misinformation that trivialises actual loss, fuels division and distracts from ongoing violence.
The assertion reads: “To counsel that grieving communities are staging funerals is insensitive, irresponsible and morally reprehensible. If such mass staging really occurred, who dug the graves?
“Who carried the coffins? Who filmed the occasions? Why has no participant, villager or bystander ever come ahead? Public burials can’t be faked with out a number of witnesses. Gumi presents not a single shred of proof.
“This assertion matches a disturbing sample through which Gumi routinely downplays or denies focused killings of Christians and now seeks to delegitimise real struggling with a harmful narrative timed to counter rising world concern, together with condemnations by U.S. lawmakers.”
Ukafia urged public figures to train restraint and uphold reality and compassion of their statements, particularly on points involving human lives and nationwide safety.
U.S President Donald Trump lately alleged that Christians are being killed in giant numbers in Nigeria by jihadists. He additionally referred to as on the Nigerian authorities to place a cease to the development, or the U.S will probably be pressured to take motion.
Trump additionally designated Nigeria a Nation of Explicit Concern, simply as he additional threatened to cease support to the nation whereas alerting the U.S Division of Battle on doable motion in Nigeria in opposition to terrorists.
Since Trump’s assertion, the Nigerian authorities, led by President Bola Tinubu, has issued a number of statements denying the declare of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
In accordance with prime authorities officers who admitted to terrorism within the nation, the assaults by the terrorists will not be selective, emphasising that Muslims endure extra at their arms than Christians.
