Nigeria Should Not Pitch Tent Against Israel – CAN

Press Statement

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has advised and warned President Muhammadu Buhari against joining Islamic world in fighting Israel in the ongoing violence in the Middle East as advocated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey because Nigeria is a secular state. 

Erdogan reportedly called “for the international community to teach the necessary lesson to unlawful, unjust and unscrupulous Israel due to its attacks against Palestine, President Erdogan voiced his belief that Nigeria would show solidarity with the Palestinians in this rightful cause.”

That statement of Erdogan was partisan,biased and misleading because it wrongly portrayed Israel as attacking the Palestinians without the Palestinians attacking Israel. To the best of our knowledge, this present conflict was caused by the Palestinians who first fired rocket at Israel.

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 sides with the Palestinians since the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari. This was responsible for why the Turkish President asked Nigeria to identify with the Palestinians. Is Nigeria an Arab or Islamic State? Why Nigeria?

On behalf of every Nigerian Christian, we call on the Federal government to reverse itself on the support that has been given to the Palestinians to date. As a matter of fact, millions of Nigerian Christians are more interested in cessation of hostilities between the two warring parties than supporting either of them. This mediatory position is the most reasonable position we expect the Nigerian government to take. We once again remind the Federal government and the National Assembly that Nigeria is not an Islamic or Arab State and Te government of President Buhari should not lead our nation in supporting Palestinians as advised by Erdogan on this conflict.

We call on the International community to intervene in the ongoing bloody actions in the Middle East without taking side if they truly wanted an enduring peace. We agree with the United States that Israel has the right to defend herself against external aggression. We see no reason why Nigeria should take side with either of the warring factions.

Thank you.

Signed

Barr. Daramola Joseph Bade

National Secretary, CAN

18 May, 2021