Wetin dey happen for Naija go make you wan run enter bush if you see am! Witnesses wey don appear before US Congress don talk say Nigeria dey hot like fire, dey face wahala wey fit turn to Christian-Muslim violence. Dem don dub Naija as major flashpoint for global religious freedom crisis, no be joke o! This warning come from testimonies wey dem don release ahead of the hearing wey go happen today.
Dis joint hearing wey sabi people dey call ‘Defending Religious Freedom Around the World,’ go gather lawmakers to discuss wetin dey happen dem global religious freedom matter wey dey gas. Key witnesses wey go yarn na Sam Brownback wey don be US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Mark Walker,, Grace Drexel, wey be daughter of detained Chinese pastor, and Dr Stephen Schneck, ex-chair of US Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Brownback, wey get ready gist, carry mouth talk say radical, militant Islam don dey try to purify wetin dey happen for MENA region and beyond. He call Nigeria and Syria as key areas wey dem dey target, say dem dey exclude all other faith, even except Muslims wey no support dem wahala. Na our people wey dey face this persecution be true allies in spreading freedom worldwide, him yarn.
Him talk say, ‘Nigeria na the deadliest place on earth to be Christian.’ As e dey be so, e fit be say Muslim-on-Christian war dey brew for Africa, wey Nigeria dey sit at the center. Brownback no forget to mention say foreign support from countries like China, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia fit make matter worse if dem no take am easy.
Dr Schneck too come join body, talk say the freedom of religion dey face historic crisis, as rising authoritarianism and religious nationalism dey show face everywhere. Him yan say, ‘If we check how US dey perform under International Religious Freedom Act, e no dey make sense, dem dey spend time dey talk, but action dey slow.’ He don dey expect updates on the US State Department’s International Religious Freedom reports, but e still dey delay.
Naija dey suffer plenty as the government no fit put a stop to violence against faith communities, especially as Boko Haram and other armed groups dey use religion as cover to carry out their wahala. Schneck quick remind say international law protect all faiths, make dem no just dey focus on Christains alone, because all religions deserve to dey respected.
Na last year, former US President Trump don redesignate Naija as Country of Particular Concern because of religious freedom wahala, wey come with military threats. Some attacks don happen for Sokoto, but Naija government dey talk say insecurity dey affect all citizens, not just Christians.
In discussions wey recently happen for Pentagon by the US Secretary of War and Naija National Security Adviser, dem dey talk about counter-terrorism cooperation and how to strengthen security partnership between both countries.
Dis na warning bell wey international community go need to take serious. If Naija no fit manage this religious tension, e fit turn to gbege wey go affect not just dem inside but outside too. Naija don dey part of global conversation on religious freedom, and wetin we go do next go determine our future.
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