The Federal Government has reiterated its call on all groups to ceasefire and come forward for dialogue.The Vice President, Arc Mohammed Namadi Sambo, made this call Thursday, in Abuja at the National Symposium, organised by Nasirul-Lahi-Faith Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), tagged “Islam and Peaceful Co-Existence in a Contemporary Multi Religious Society.
The Vice President, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion, said “government is ready to discuss. History has proven that even wars that are fought for decades, at the end, are only concluded by dialogue.”
He lamented the activities of some negative forces whose activities have portrayed Islam in a negative and evil light, saying “Islam is a religion of peace; it is a way of life. It cannot promote senseless killings and wanton destruction of property. I am not aware of any religion in the world that encourages unprovoked and relentless attack on other people.”
Vice President Sambo reiterated the determination of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to provide adequate security for the lives and property of all Nigerians and visitors.
Arc Sambo, commended the organisers of the Symposium, noting its aptness, adding that it would help to educate the public on the Islamic view of peaceful co-existence and the concept of Jihad.
He used the opportunity to enumerate the strides the administration had made in achieving the objectives of the Transformation Agenda, which cut across improved electricity supply; education; agriculture, transportation system; and poverty alleviation.
VP Sambo stated that to deliver on government’s promise on the revitalisation of the Railway system, government had signed an MoU with General Electric for the delivery of 200 locomotive heads and also for the location of a locomotive manufacturing plant in Nigeria, which would also serve the West African sub-region.
Similarly, the Vice President assured that the activities of militant groups would not jeopardize its desire to propel Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs).
In his remarks the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, called on the Muslim Ummah to champion the principle of peaceful co-existence and education. He also called on religious leaders to guard against their utterances so as not to overheat the polity. The Sultan further called on all aggrieved groups to embrace dialogue.
Earlier, the President of NASFAT, Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf, stated that the Symposium was to dispel the belief that the terror attacks were to impose Islam or as a mark of hatred against people of other faiths and to also engender peaceful co-existence amongst the populace.
Present at the occasion were traditional leaders, religious leaders and other notable dignitaries.
