NORTHERN Civil Society Forum, yesterday, joined the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Association of Muslim Brotherhood in condemning the mayhem that rocked Maiduguri the Borno State capital last week.

The coalition of the civil society groups in the 19 Northern states and the umbrella bodies of Christians and Muslims in the North said that the violence as a result of a cartoon in a Dannish newspaper was very unfortunate.

While CAN is asking Muslims in the country to follow the right procedure in making their grieviances known, the Association of Muslims Brotherhood of Nigeria warned religious leaders and their followers to desist from taking the laws into their hands.

All the bodies condemned the violence in Maiduguri in unmistakable terms at a news conference jointly addressed by them.

Comrade Shehu Sani, president of Northern Civil Society Forum, who spoke for the groups said "we unambigously condemn the riot in Maiduguri. The burning of churches and the destruction of lives and property is no way a remedy to the blasphemy that was committed in Denmark.

"We have other problems to grapple with in Nigeria and we do not share the belief that killing of innocent people or burning of religious houses of worship is in any way an ethical or religious reaction to any form of blaphemy.

The groups particularly condemned the killing and burning of places of worship in Maiduguri which was said to have been sparked off following protest against the blasphemous newspaper cartoon in Denmark.

Comrade Sani regretted that the blasphemous cartoon has taken an unfortunate dimension in Nigeria leading to unnecessary destruction of lives and property, pointing out that the burning of places of worship and the wanton destruction of lives and property is in no way a remedy to the blasphemy that was committed in far away Denmark. he said that the burning of places and killing of people was completely out of place and condemnable, saying:

"We do not share in the believe that the killing of innocent people or burning places of worship is an appropriate reaction to the blasphemy", he said, noting that the North have had its share of religious violence which has retarded its progress and promoted mutual suspicion among religious groups in the area.

He said it is unfortunate that at this point when Nigerians should join handsin tackling the problems

facing the nation, religious bigotry is rearing its urgly face again and urged the authorities to take prompt action before it is too late.

"Government must take firm and decicive action against any individual or group found to have been inciting the people against each other.

There should be civilised and democratic way of expressing anger, we must not resort to killing and destruction of property" Mallam Sani stated.

The President of the Muslim Brotherhood of Nigeria, Abu - Sufyan Ibn Abubakar and the representative of the Kaduna chapter of CAN, Rev. Joshua Raja also joined in condemning the violence saying there was no basis for such violence and wanton destruction of lives and property in Maiduguri.

Islam he said, does not encourage the killing of an individual or burning places of worship. Rev Raja who spoke for CAN said christians are peace loving people adding that Nigerian christians had earlier condemned the blaspemous cartoon on the prophet of Islam.

They however resolved to work together for peace and to embark on enlightenment campaign to educate the people so that they don't become a tool in the hands of some people who may want to capitalised on the situation of things to achieve their selfish ends.

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