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ALLEGED HATE SPEECH: CAN sends warning to Gov El-Rufai

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Middle Belt Forum blames El-rufai for Southern Kaduna killings

The Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said it will not tolerate the prosecution of one of its members by Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

The Christian body alleged that the governor was planning to arraign the Founder and Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr Paul Enenche for hate speech.

Eneche was alleged to have made statements that reportedly escalated killings in Kasuwan Magani on October 18, 2018 and a subsequent assassination of the Agom Adara, Dr Maiwada Galadima, on October 26, 2018.

Meanwhile, CAN said there was no basis for prosecuting anyone over hate speech especially when the process of establishing what constitutes hate speech was not clearly spelt out.

A statement by the spokesman of the Association, Pastor Bayo Oladeji on Wednesday reads in part, “Any attempt to arrest and harass any of our pastors again will be considered an attempt to silence the voice of the church and reasoning in our nation.

“Let the government define clearly the difference between what is considered hate speech and advocacy for dying victims of continuous killings in Nigeria.

“What do you expect from a church leader whose members and fellow citizens are being killed daily without any satisfactory measures to abate the killings? Are we to keep clapping for government while people are being massacred in cold blood?”

Read also: PDP, Fayose tackle Buhari on killings in Zamfara, Yobe; ex-gov alleges sinister plot

Oladeji narrated the episodes that led to the intending arrest of the clergyman, “The main subject of Dr Enenche’s clip which Governor el-Rufai is alleging to be hate speech to us is an outright condemnation of the fate that has befallen the Adara people and Christians in Southern Kaduna through the creation of new emirates namely; Lere, Kagarko and Kujuru. By the creation of these emirates, especially that of Kajuru, the Adara people have been subjugated.

“While we will continue to condemn hate speech by religious leaders and other Nigerians, we cannot stand and watch our respected leaders being set up for molestation, humiliation and prosecution for an unfounded hate speech.”

CAN advised the governor to rather focus on bringing the killers to book rather than apprehending a cleric under the guise of hate speech.

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