CAN seeks repeal of el-Rufai’s religious law

Tasks politicians on nation’s democracy
Taraba State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has frowned at the new law regulating religious preaching in Kaduna State by Governor Nasir el-Rufai. It stressed the need for the law to be repealed.

The chairman, Rev. Innocent Solomon, in a statement yesterday, also challenged political leaders in the country to advance and deepen the nation’s democracy.

Solomon, who described Nigeria as a secular state whose constitution guarantees freedom of worship, peaceful assembly and association, asserted that “the draconian law is inimical to democratic process and dangerous to our budding democracy. Therefore, that obnoxious law should be repealed to allow Christians and other religious adherents practise their faith without hindrance.”

According to him, the law contained several clauses aimed at banning worship mode and fellowship by Christians in the state.

“It is designed to frustrate the Christians from celebrating Christmas, Easter and other vigils in the state. It is obnoxious and criminalises any person who plays religious cassette or uses a loud speaker for religious purposes between the hours of 11pm and 4am,” he added.

The CAN chairman, who also expressed worry over the rising spate of kidnapping, armed banditry, herdsmen attacks and insurgency, which have led to wanton destruction of lives and property across the country, was sad that “no geopolitical zone is spared from the ugly menace.”

He urged the federal government to brace up and tackle the myriad problems head-on.

“Anything short of this means that the federal government has failed to perform it’s constitutional duty.

“It is worth mentioning here that kidnapping and killing of victims initially started in the Niger Delta in 2006 by the militants to draw international attention to their plight of environmental degradation.