Breaking: Buhari declares war against perpetrators of religious violence in Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared his administration’s readiness to go after all those perpetrating religious and other forms of violence in the country henceforth as he reacted to the killing of at least 16 people in Rivers and the murder of a traditional ruler and his wife in Kaduna.

The killings were carried out in Rivers while the victims returned from their church where they had gone in the wake of the New Year celebration while the traditional ruler was murdered by gunmen in the early hours of Monday, January 1.

In a statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said no religion or civilised culture tolerates violence, especially where it involves taking of another life.

Buhari reportedly spoke when he met separately with the Qadiriyya Muslim Movement in Africa and the Izalatul-Bid’a-Wa-Iqamatus-Sunnah at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday, January 2.

“You can’t kill to please God; and I know no religion tolerates the taking of another person’s life in the name of a religious movement.

“There is never a justification for killing any member of the society. We have been tackling the Boko Haram menace, and we have made significant impact, and we will extend the measures to stop all wanton killings,” he said.

The president appealed to the communities affected not to embark on reprisal attacks, but allow the security agencies to carry out comprehensive investigations to properly punish the culprits.

He commiserated with the families of the victims and wished the injured faster recovery while adding that the security apparatus will be constantly reviewed to check threats to the peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians.

Source: Naija.ng