JNI faults call to remove Nigeria from OIC, others

The Jama’tul Nasir Islam (JNI), has faulted the call for Nigeria to withdraw from Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), arguing that it is not all relationships that are based on religion, but rather on bilateral interest of the country.

The religious body said subtracting Nigeria from OIC or any other related organisation translates to the country severing ties with other Christian countries.

It could be recalled earlier that leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) recently demanded the exit of Nigeria from international religious organisations such as the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) to maintain the country’s secularity status, as it said Nigeria signs treaty and agreements with them.

The Secretary General of JNI, Dr. Khaleed Abubakar, has therefore argued that Nigeria is a multi-religious country and as such, it has never come across anywhere in Nigeria’s constitution that described Nigeria as a secular state.

In a chart with The Guardian, he called on individuals to be objective and sincere with their utterances,Similarly, the National Chairman of Christian /Muslim Alternative to Conflict,CMAC  Muhammad Ibrahim Gashash, when contacted to hear his view regarding the development however,  said the  person responsible for calling on Nigeria to severe ties with OIC is not representing the opinion of Christians in Nigeria but rather his personal opinion.

He argued that: “I have meet many senior and highly placed Christians who are peaceful, and respect others religions. I run an organization which Christians clerics as trustees, likewise the Muslim religious leaders are also part of the organization.”

Gahsash who also doubled as the President of National Tranquility Movement said: “President Buhari will never tell Muslims to get out of the Islamic organizations across world because nobody prevent Christianity from joining the Vaticans or any other organization, so the argument that Nigeria is a secular state is false.”