Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has rebuked Garba Shehu, a Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, over his statement against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah. HURIWA tagged Shehu’s words as unbridled tendencies and unwholesome disrespect as he responded to Kukah’s presentation to the U.S Congress some days ago.
While speaking before the Congress, Kukah stated that the federal government of Nigeria is weak in handling insecurity issues in the country. This was as a result of the incessant attack by bandits on innocent citizens especially in the North East region.
Also, Kukah had told the Congress that Christians are mostly the victims in the banditry attacks. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari keeps mute and continues to appoint individuals from his ethnic group and religion into key political offices.
(Bishop Matthew Kukah)
These statements by Kukah did not go down well with Shehu who lambasted the cleric and accused him of tarnishing the image of the country. On behalf of the presidency, Shehu wrote a rejoinder claiming that Kukah’s statements before the Congress were false.
Besides, he said that it is “troubling when a so-called man of the Church copies the worst excesses of those seeking personal advancement in public office.” Consequently, the presidency was disappointment that some citizens supported Kukah’s presentation at the U.S Congress.
However, HURIWA, in its reaction through the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf and the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said that Shehu's statement against the cleric shows that he does not have a thorough understanding of the Constitution. The group equally tagged his statement as insensitive.
(Garba Shehu)
In addition, HURIWA said that Kukah’s statement to the US congress Committee on Foreign Affairs should not have caused an uproar if the elected leaders did not make themselves hardened to the truth. Shehu was asked to do a short intensive programme on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 so that he gets himself abreast with the relevant parts that relates to the issues of Federal character principles.
The Rights group said the Federal character of Nigeria includes two major religions - Christianity and Islam- as well as African traditional worshippers.
“We totally endorse the presentation made by His Lordship the Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Sokoto for these are facts that are empirical and we are witnesses to the ongoing nepotistic appointments of President Muhammadu Buhari and the consistent killings of Christian clerics by Islamists are facts which the President can’t hide from,” HURIWA concluded.
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