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‘Don’t join forces against Israel in Middle East conflict,’ CAN cautions Buhari

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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Monday cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against joining the Arab world in opposing Israel in the ongoing violence in the Middle East.

CAN was responding to the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s call to the international community to take action against Israel over the ongoing conflict with Palestine in Gaza.

In a statement issued by its General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, the Christian umbrella body insisted that Nigeria is a secular state.

He said: “We are worried that Nigeria which was wrongly labelled an Islamic State because of her unlawful membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) has been taking side with the Palestinians since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari, hence the request by the Turkish President for Nigeria to identify with the Palestinians.

READ ALSO: MURIC accuses former President Jonathan of current strife between Israel, Palestine

“Federal government should reverse itself on the support that has been given to the Palestinians to date. For the record, millions of Nigerian Christians are in support of Israel against the position of the government. We once again remind the federal government and the National Assembly that Nigeria is not an Islamic State.”

CAN also urged the international community to intervene in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East without taking side if they truly want an enduring peace.

“We agree with the United States that Israel has the right to defend itself against external aggression. And we see no reason why Nigeria should take side with either of the warring factions,” Daramola added.

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