The Persecution and Molestation of Biafran Christians and Jewish Adherents in the Contraption called Nigeria
Published Tuesday, December 18, 2018 | 02:45 CET
Author: Comr. Felix C Onyemachi
For IPOB Writers Media
Nigeria as a country claims to be a secular state and by implications, claims to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. The two major religious groups in Nigeria are Christianity and Islam. The Islamic faith dominates the northern parts of Nigeria while Christianity is more dominant in the Southern parts of Nigeria.
The freedom of Religion as clearly written in the Nigerian constitution, in which Article 38 states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or beliefs or freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worshipping, teaching, practice and observance”.
This implies that freedoms of thought, conscience and religion or belief, including the rights to propagate, practice and teach are guaranteed. It also implies that citizens are protected from being compelled to receive religious instructions or to partake in religious ceremonies other than those to which they profess or subscribe.
If the above-mentioned facts are correct, it follows that no government in her right senses should compromise the rule of law without contacting the legislators who should deliberate on such sensitive matters before alterations. Unfortunately, Nigeria is ruled by an “imposter” who does not understand the value of following the rule of laws.
The rule of law should not be compromised but unfortunately, President Muhammad Buhari, a former military dictator in the 1980s but who was elected in 2015 and is seeking re-election in February 2019, said the “rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation’s security and national interest”.
I must confess that since l was born, l have never witnessed a regime that has divided the country more along tribal and religious lines as this present government. It was during this present regime that l began to notice that there are two types of Muslims in Nigeria via Sunni and Shiites. There have not been any obvious differences between Christianity and Judaism in my place except that Jewish adherents believe in the one invisible creator of Heaven and Earth but unfortunately, President Muhammad Buhari’s regime is trying to create enmity between Christians and Jewish adherents. The Jews, Israelites and Hebrews are the same people. Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was called a Hebrew. His grandson Jacob was renamed Israel by God, and his children were known as the people of Israel. In time, descendants of King David from the tribe of Judah, ruled over the bulk of the Israelites living in the land of Israel, and, and the people took the name “Jews”. These three names are generally used interchangeably, depending on the time and places,
Both Biafran Christians and Jewish adherents are presently suffering severe persecutions in Nigeria. The late Bridget Patience Agbaheme, an Igbo woman from Imo State was beheaded by Muslim youths in Kano State over an accusation that she “insulted” Prophet Mohammed. The culprits were arrested but released without convincing reasons.
At one time or the other, there have been reports of illegal detentions of Igbo Jewish worshipers, who have been wrongly branded IPOB members. As a result, so many worshipers have abandoned the synagogues over the fear of being arrested and tagged terrorists by the Nigerian Police. It was also gathered that many believers in Judaism now pray in their various houses as they now feel insecure to congregate.
On May 13, 2018, nine Judaism worshipers were arrested at the Afaraukwu, Umuahia, home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), where they claimed to be holding a prayer session. They were arrested and remanded at the Afara Prison after their arraignment at the Magistrate Court on May 14, 2018, where they were charged for terrorism.
On the 11th of December 2018, the government of Abia State and the Commissioner of Police arrested 51 innocent Jewish worshipers just because their leader Nnamdi Kanu belongs to the religion. The arrest and intimidation of Jewish adherents during their peaceful processions in the city of Umuahia to sensitize general public about their denomination was unconstitutional. The barbaric attack on the innocent Jewish worshipers exercising their legitimate rights by combined security forces is totally abnormal and unacceptable.
Freedom of worship, expression and assembly is in accordance with every democratic law. It has become obvious that the Abia State Command of the Nigerian Police has mapped out believers in Christ and Judaism for total annihilation. This has made me to question the essence of the freedom of worship article enshrined in the constitution as one of the fundamental human rights of every tribe in Nigeria.
Edited & Published
By IPOB WRITERS PRESS
Contact: ipobwriters@ipob.org
Twitter: @ipob_writers
 |
| Biafrans Jews march on the streets |
Author: Comr. Felix C Onyemachi
For IPOB Writers Media
Nigeria as a country claims to be a secular state and by implications, claims to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. The two major religious groups in Nigeria are Christianity and Islam. The Islamic faith dominates the northern parts of Nigeria while Christianity is more dominant in the Southern parts of Nigeria.
The freedom of Religion as clearly written in the Nigerian constitution, in which Article 38 states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or beliefs or freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worshipping, teaching, practice and observance”.
This implies that freedoms of thought, conscience and religion or belief, including the rights to propagate, practice and teach are guaranteed. It also implies that citizens are protected from being compelled to receive religious instructions or to partake in religious ceremonies other than those to which they profess or subscribe.
If the above-mentioned facts are correct, it follows that no government in her right senses should compromise the rule of law without contacting the legislators who should deliberate on such sensitive matters before alterations. Unfortunately, Nigeria is ruled by an “imposter” who does not understand the value of following the rule of laws.
The rule of law should not be compromised but unfortunately, President Muhammad Buhari, a former military dictator in the 1980s but who was elected in 2015 and is seeking re-election in February 2019, said the “rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation’s security and national interest”.
I must confess that since l was born, l have never witnessed a regime that has divided the country more along tribal and religious lines as this present government. It was during this present regime that l began to notice that there are two types of Muslims in Nigeria via Sunni and Shiites. There have not been any obvious differences between Christianity and Judaism in my place except that Jewish adherents believe in the one invisible creator of Heaven and Earth but unfortunately, President Muhammad Buhari’s regime is trying to create enmity between Christians and Jewish adherents. The Jews, Israelites and Hebrews are the same people. Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, was called a Hebrew. His grandson Jacob was renamed Israel by God, and his children were known as the people of Israel. In time, descendants of King David from the tribe of Judah, ruled over the bulk of the Israelites living in the land of Israel, and, and the people took the name “Jews”. These three names are generally used interchangeably, depending on the time and places,
Both Biafran Christians and Jewish adherents are presently suffering severe persecutions in Nigeria. The late Bridget Patience Agbaheme, an Igbo woman from Imo State was beheaded by Muslim youths in Kano State over an accusation that she “insulted” Prophet Mohammed. The culprits were arrested but released without convincing reasons.
At one time or the other, there have been reports of illegal detentions of Igbo Jewish worshipers, who have been wrongly branded IPOB members. As a result, so many worshipers have abandoned the synagogues over the fear of being arrested and tagged terrorists by the Nigerian Police. It was also gathered that many believers in Judaism now pray in their various houses as they now feel insecure to congregate.
On May 13, 2018, nine Judaism worshipers were arrested at the Afaraukwu, Umuahia, home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), where they claimed to be holding a prayer session. They were arrested and remanded at the Afara Prison after their arraignment at the Magistrate Court on May 14, 2018, where they were charged for terrorism.
On the 11th of December 2018, the government of Abia State and the Commissioner of Police arrested 51 innocent Jewish worshipers just because their leader Nnamdi Kanu belongs to the religion. The arrest and intimidation of Jewish adherents during their peaceful processions in the city of Umuahia to sensitize general public about their denomination was unconstitutional. The barbaric attack on the innocent Jewish worshipers exercising their legitimate rights by combined security forces is totally abnormal and unacceptable.
Freedom of worship, expression and assembly is in accordance with every democratic law. It has become obvious that the Abia State Command of the Nigerian Police has mapped out believers in Christ and Judaism for total annihilation. This has made me to question the essence of the freedom of worship article enshrined in the constitution as one of the fundamental human rights of every tribe in Nigeria.
Edited & Published
By IPOB WRITERS PRESS
Contact: ipobwriters@ipob.org
Twitter: @ipob_writers
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