Arewa forum demands Kukah’s arrest, says coup comment treasonable

- Arewa youths have joined other groups to react to Bishop Kukah’s outburst against President Buhari’s government

- The youth forum did not just condemn the cleric's statement, it called for his arrest and prosecution

- The bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese had accused the Buhari-led government of nepotism and incompetence

- According to the Arewa group, Kukah’s comments are inciting and a “treasonable felony against the Nigerian state”

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Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah's recent statement has been described by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) as unguarded and open incitement to a military coup.

In a statement signed by its national president, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, on Sunday, December 27, and sent to Legit.ng, the group said it was an insurrection against the democratically elected government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Recall that Kukah had in his Christmas message on Friday, December 25, accused President Buhari of nepotism.

Not happy with the statement, the AYCF faulted "Kukah's use of nepotism as a weapon of calumny against the government and people of Nigeria".

The northern group wants the bishop to be arrested and also face prosecution for what it described as a treasonable felony against the Nigerian state.

The federal government has also been urged by the group to place Kukah on a special watchlist for attempting to destabilise the country by pitting the south against the north.

Shettima, in the statement, took exception to what his group described as "Kukah's latest role in devil's advocacy, as the north struggles to restore peace and enduring security in the region and indeed Nigeria".

According to him, at this point, Nigeria needs responsible advice that will foster peace and stability and not comments that will compound the country's problems.

The statement added:

"If Kukah wants to play politics, he should not do so in the pulpit and he should keep the Bishop's office aside and chose any Nigerian political party platform to contest President in 2023 and stop all the pretences."

The AYCF said it will not fold its arm and watch while those who made no contributions scuttle Nigeria's democracy which was not easy to come by.

Earlier, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) faulted Kukah for suggesting that the president be removed through an undemocratic process.

Legit.ng reported that the NEF said though it agrees with Kukah's opinion that Buhari’s government lacks respect for inclusiveness, it is wrong to seek solutions to the problems outside the democratic process.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) faulted Nigeria's information minister, Lai Mohammed, for accusing Bishop Kukah of plotting President Buhari’s removal.

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According to the group, Kukah did not in any way suggest that a democratically constituted government be overthrown violently.

The minister had stated that it is unbefitting of religious leaders to fan the embers of disunity and hatred. He warned the Sokoto bishop to desist from action that can “trigger unintended consequences.”

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Source: Legit.ng