National Publicity Secretary of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Bishop (Dr) Gospel Emmah Isong has asked other regions in the country including the South-South, South-East and South-West to demand the establishment of their own radio stations from the Federal Government.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Calabar, Bishop Isong, who is General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International CCCI, a.k.a Faith Mansion, regretted the planned move of the Federal Government to establish Fulani radio.
“Other ethnic groups and the Governors of South-South, South-East and south-West should also ask the Federal Government to grant them licenses to establish ethnic radio stations.
“Nobody can Islamise Nigeria. It is impossible. Nigerians should not be afraid; to me I don’t think this can happen. What former president, Olusegun Obasanjo said about ‘Fulanisation’ of the country is not new.”
The cleric expressed his displeasure over the worsening security situation in Nigeria, stressing that, “What is happening in the country now is not different from the situation that snowballed into the Rwanda genocide.
“The bane of this country is social hypocrisy and political sycophancy. Nobody is honest. Nobody is speaking the truth. Politicians have polluted the pulpit. They have penetrated into the church. The church must retrace its steps by pulling out of the political circle.
“The closeness is such that they cannot be separated. People in government should stop campaigning from the pulpit. If they have any message they should call church leaders and talk to them.”
Isong, who also doubles as the National Patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists South South Zone, stated that Nigeria still has better days ahead after 20 years of uninterrupted democracy.
He urged the people of Nigeria not to lose faith but rather be optimistic as the best would still come.
“If leaders of the nation can afford to employ dialogue on a round table where issues affecting the people are being discussed a lot of grievances would be resolved,” he said.
On the move for financial autonomy to be granted local governments, the clergyman stated that it won’t amount to anything if the state electoral commissions were not scrapped, “such commissions could be used by the state governors to put their cronies in places of authority as council chairmen whereby the council bosses would be used as conduit pipes to siphon LG funds”.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army yesterday said it had received reports indicating that the war against Boko Haram terrorists was being sabotaged by some stakeholders operating in the North East.
It said this disclosure was made by a high profile Boko Haram Commander, Mohammed Modu (an Amir in the AbubakarShekau’s faction), who was arrested by troops of 251Task Force Battalion Operation LAFIYA DOLE last Sunday.
This information was contained in a statement by Col Sagir Musa, Acting Director Public Relations.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram has been receiving “humanitarian support” of food and drugs supplies from some Non-Governmental Ourganisations (NGOs).
It reads: “The NA strongly warns the affected agencies to desist from compromising Nigeria’s national security and war efforts against terrorism and operate in accordance with the extant rules and regulations guiding the operations of humanitarian aid workers, and in line with the guidelines and procedures of International Humanitarian Laws as well as the Laws of Armed Conflict.
“The NA wishes to remind the NGOs in the North East and members of the public at large that similar concerns were raised on this same issue previously.
“Thus, the NA will no longer tolerate such acts of sabotage inimical to the fight against terrorism by any organisation or agency, and will not hesitate to sanction any such recalcitrant organization as appropriate.”