Christian groups in Nigeria accuse Buhari's administration of carrying out Islamic agenda

Five Christian groups have accused the administration of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari of having an anti-Christian bias and of running the government like a Muslim organization to fulfill an Islamic agenda.

The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) made the accusation after an emergency meeting with other groups in Abuja on Monday. The group said that the present administration was not only executing an Islamic agenda but was also attempting to wipe out the Christian religion in the country.

Other Christian groups that attended the meeting were the Arewa Christians Association, Concerned Professional Christians, All Para-Church Organizations and Nigerian Christians in Diaspora.

In a joint statement signed by YOWICAN national president Daniel Kadzai, the five Christian groups pointed to the removal of Christian religious studies from primary/secondary schools, especially in the North.

The Christian groups also accused the government of not treating Christians and Muslims equally as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

"The worse form of social injustice, terrorism and religious bias is to deny Christian children their right to practise their religion despite the role of Christian Religious Studies in helping to shape the moral character and integrity of our children as future leaders," the statement read, according to the Vanguard.

The groups also pointed out that the government had appointed Prof. Ishaq Oluyede, who allegedly has a bias and prejudice against Christians, to serve as the head of an educational institution like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

"Despite the denial that the government is not slipping Nigeria into an Islamic country as evident from previous antecedents, Nigeria's participation at the Islamic solidarity sports federation speaks volumes and confirms the obvious," the statement continued.

The joint Christian groups also brought up the issue of the herdsmen killings and said that the security agents appear to be looking the other way when Christians or indigenous people are being killed.

"The question begging for answer is, 'why are 99 percent and above of the perpetrators of the attacks on Christians either as cattle rearers or terrorist from one side of the religion?'" the groups asked.

Despite the accusations, the groups noted that Christians are still praying for Buhari in Churches and at home, in obedience to the biblical mandate. But they urged the authorities and the few cabals to stop lying about the health of the president.

There have been concerns about Buhari's health after he missed three federal executive council meetings in a row.

National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has alleged that the president's health must be so bad that it had prevented him from attending the federal executive council meeting. Buhari traveled to London earlier this month for a follow-up medical consultation with his doctors.