n December 29, 2011 · In News | 2:30 am,
BY OKEY NDIRIBE
ABUJA— The Committee of Imams of the Federal Capital Territory, alongside representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Saad Abubakar, yesterday paid a condolence visit to Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi, the parish priest of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, which was bombed on Christmas day by a member of the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram.

The group, which was led by Imam Tajudeen Muhammadu Adigun, condemned the suicide attack on the church and deplored other acts of violence which had been perpetrated in the name of Islam in Nigeria and other parts of the world, emphasizing that such acts were a deviation from the teachings of the religion.

He said: “Islam is a religion of peace. May Allah continue to give us peace in our hearts, in our families and in our country.”

He further stated that the group had visited victims of the blast at the National Hospital, Abuja, and General Hospital, Gwagwalada, where they were receiving treatment, adding that the delegation felt it had a duty to visit the church and commiserate with the priest and other members of the parish over the tragedy.

Imam Adigun lamented that the attack was not only on members of the church parish but on the entire nation adding that even the car of a member of the delegation who was driving along the road on the day of blast was also affected.

Representative of Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the Chairman of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Abdulkareem Muazu, spoke in a similar vein while conveying the Sultan’s condolences to the parish priest.

In his response to the remarks of Imam Adigun, the parish priest of the church, Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi, expressed appreciation for the visit by the group, adding that it was the first of its kind.

He said: “I want to sincerely appreciate that charisma in you which made you to say, let us go and pay the affected parish a condolence visit.”

He further stated that by taking this bold step to pay a condolence visit to the parish, the Islamic group had demonstrated that it was committed to the unity of Nigeria.

Said he: “We are one Nigeria; our country must remain in peace. Even those who are from Maguzawa who belong to Christianity and Islam are still members of the same family, not to talk of the South-Western part of the country where you have people who are blood relations belonging to two different religions.

“Two of my brothers are Alhajis and my sister is a Hajia but I am a Roman Catholic priest. If they decide to kill Christians tomorrow and they come across me, they can’t kill me because we are related by blood.”

Vanguard Newspaper December 29, 2011 ·

They should also visit the bomb making factories of the Islamists.