The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has appealed to the organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protests to call off the demonstrations and give the government an opportunity to address the country’s challenges.
In a joint statement, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Daniel Okoh, co-chairmen of NIREC, expressed concern over the widespread hunger and hardship in the country.
However, they cautioned that resorting to civil unrest would only exacerbate the nation’s fragile situation. The statement, also signed by NIREC’s Executive Secretary, Rev. Fr. Prof. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, urged for a peaceful and constructive approach to addressing the country’s problems.
“The protest that commenced peacefully on Thursday, August 1, 2024, despite pleas from all quarters, took a turn for the worse and became violent later in the day. In just a few hours, lives and property were lost due to this unfortunate scenario.
“It is without doubt that there is hunger and hardship in the country but civil unrest is not the solution as it would only further aggravate the already frail state of the nation.
“NIREC hereby calls on fellow citizens of Nigeria to please call off this protest and give the government a chance to redeem itself,” the Council said.
NIREC also expressed sadness that in just one day of the protest, lives and enormous amount of property were destroyed, saying that if the protest lingers, “only God knows the extent of damage that would be incurred.
The Council further called on the security agencies to be more professional in the discharge of their duties.
“NIREC urges the government to expedite action towards meeting the yearning and needs of the citizens. We need a peaceful and tranquil nation we can be proud to call our own. May God bless us all,” the Council stated.
