Some youths, mainly Muslim faithful, organised themselves into groups yesterday to guard worshippers in some churches in parts of Minna, Niger State capital, as part of a solidarity gesture against the removal of oil subsidy.

LEADERSHIP observed in Kpakungu area of Minna that some of the youths earlier dispersed by the Police on Friday from protesting at the Polo Field, Minna, had regrouped to protect some of the churches.

It was observed that the youths mounted the gates of the churches as their Christian counterparts were worshipping, and conducted themselves peacefully in order not to cause any apprehensions.

The youths, under the umbrella of Concerned Minna Residents, were last Friday dispersed by the police for lack of identity, with the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed Maishanu, saying they could not be granted a permit to hold protest.

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The leader of the group, Awaal Gata, told LEADERSHIP in an interview at St Mary's Catholic Church, Kpakungu, said, "we are protecting our fellow Christian brothers and sisters to show the people that our leaders cannot use religion to divide us.

"In this struggle, we are determined to make sure that the removal of fuel subsidy will not stay; we want to send a signal - by coming here to protect our Christians friends and to show that we are one and our Christian brothers will do same on Friday," he added.

Asked whether they got police permit to do what they were doing, he said: "We are peaceful; we are here to protect ourselves and to emphasize that security is not only in the hands of the police - security is the responsibility of every citizen."

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201091716.html

Minna — MUSLIM youths yesterday grouped themselves to guard churches in Minna, Niger State Capital, during Sunday Services.The youths said this was aimed at furthering their campaign for the promotion of inter-religious unity in the country.

Our correspondent observed that the youths mounted the gates of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Kpagungu area of the state capital throughout the service period.

The leader of the group, Gimba kakanda, who spoke to Daily Trust, said, "We are protecting our fellow Christian brothers and sisters to show the world that our leaders cannot use religion to divide us. We want to send a signal by coming here to protect our fellow Christians that we are one and we can stand to protect one another".

Asked on whether they got police permit to do so, he said, "We are peaceful, we are here only to protect our brothers, and we believe that security is the responsibility of every citizen".

http://allafrica.com/stories/201201090750.html

crap

provide valuable intelligence to security forces, thats all

this sounds like propaganda to me

I don't trust those foes cuz Islam never accepted that.

Shame on all u clowns that claim to be christains. As I said before I have never seen any Muslim or northerner say on naira land that they support the senseless killings of christains in the north, infact everyone of them condemned it.

But today I saw so called chrisatains atheists come out here saying kill them Muslims all. Shame on you I say.

Mai-suya:

Shame on all u clowns that claim to be christains. As I said before I have never seen any Muslim or northerner say on naira land that they support the senseless killings of christains in the north, infact everyone of them condemned it.

But today I saw so called chrisatains atheists come out here saying kill them Muslims all. Shame on you I say.

There are many supporters on facebook and they hinge their position on the claim that Christians did nothing when Muslims were killed on Idelkabir (sp?) day celebrations in Jos sometime ago. Were those Muslims killed by southerners? Were they killed because they were Muslims? Is the crisis in Jos not between fulani and Berom, and therefore is ethnic rather than religion motivated? Why extend the animosity to others?

^^
don't get it twisted. Today I read with dismay about the alleged killings in Benin city. And on that thread some pple were chanting yes very good, kill them all. Some one even went as far as commenting of a photo of a  burning human being  as "nice picture"

NB I don't get ur argument, am not from jos, but killing anybody anywhere is wrong, and I commend the actions of the youth of minna coz I was in the minna protest. But if the reports from Benin are true, then it was the community that was attacking the hausa community there

Who do they want to deceive . The suffering and back stabbing the Egyptian coptic Christians endured is still fresh .

^^
u r classic example of what I have described above.

Mai-suya:

^^
don't get it twisted. Today I read with dismay about the alleged killings in Benin city. And on that thread some pple were chanting yes very good, kill them all. Some one even went as far as commenting of a photo of a  burning human being  as "nice picture"

NB I don't get your argument, am not from jos, but killing anybody anywhere is wrong, and I commend the actions of the youth of minna coz I was in the minna protest. But if the reports from Benin are true, then it was the community that was attacking the hausa community there

No live is worth losing and I do not support any form of t.i.t-for-tat killing. But the fact is that the northerners (muslims) have been killing southerners (Christians/Igbo) since time immemorial. True or false?

Mai-suya:

^^
u r classic example of what I have described above.

Sharap there, You deceitful piece of shiet

that's the spirit.

@radical I regret replyin u, but my bad I tot u were worth it.

@nchara there is more to clashes in Nigeria than just conveniently labelling it north vs. South or Igbo vs. Muslim.

There has been killing on both sides (though I hate using north/south) the proportional distribution is not my area of expertise

Also these clashes sometimes has to do with tribal wranglings (in Niger may be Igbo vs. Nupes, in Kano with the hausas, in maiduguri with kanuris, pardon my use of Igbo it's just an example) so it has nothing to do with religion

And at times its just outright conspiracy (just like this BH case) coz neither the northerners nor southerners know who or what those guys really want.

So u see black and White may be two extremes, but in between are various shades of greys

Mai-suya:

@radical I regret replyin u, but my bad I tot u were worth it.

@nchara there is more to clashes in Nigeria than just conveniently labelling it north vs. South or Igbo vs. Muslim.

There has been killing on both sides (though I hate using north/south) the proportional distribution is not my area of expertise

Also these clashes sometimes has to do with tribal wranglings (in Niger may be Igbo vs. Nupes, in Kano with the hausas, in maiduguri with kanuris, pardon my use of Igbo it's just an example) so it has nothing to do with religion

And at times its just outright conspiracy (just like this BH case) coz neither the northerners nor southerners know who or what those guys really want.

So u see black and White may be two extremes, but in between are various shades of greys

Killing on which both sides?  I am a southerner. I am not concerned with Berom versus Fulani. I am concerned with Igbos being killed in the North for no reason. Let's leave aside the civil war where you can argue that some Igbo military guys killed northern leaders and Igbo were killed in retaliation, leading to the war where over 3 million additional Igbos were killed. I understand that.  But what do not understand is why you guys have been killing Igbos since after the war? You appear to live in denial and at this point I stop the discussion? Bye.

ha ha ha stooopid abokis. we will not fall for this cheap crap

What is a Church? it is a mere building that could simply be called something else over night if used for a different purpose.

So guarding a mere building amounts to nothing.

If Muslim Northerneers are really serious they should go share what they know with trusted security forces and bring this crisis to an end!

Shame on you Mai Suya. You guys have a history of lecturing the bereaved how to be angry. If the Sultan is not lecturing Christain leaders on how to guard their statements after christain have been "KILLED". We have folks like you here telling us how to be temper our anger. Fact is if situation were to be reversed and Southerners were killing Muslims in the name of Religion. I am sure the response we will get will not be mere words. You guys will do what you know how to do best which is to take the life others and destroy properties.

Muslim youths should not be helping.
Let nature take its course. . . .  Nigeria needs some serious sacificial cleansing. . .

@Nchara

Have these fools asked themselves why muslims are not attacked daily in the south? Have they ever noticed that any attacks on hausas in the east are reprisals? Do they realize that they (muslims) start and instigate all these conflicts? These people are a heartless bunch of people who try and find justification for their evil doings. The world is watching.

Those muslim youths are like wolves in sheep clothings. They are pretenders. Muslims cant guard christians.They hate them.Even those who claim to condemn d killings, deep down in their heart they are happy. Islam is not a religion of peace. Look at all d muslim countries always killing themselves. We shall deal with them very soon.

GREEK GIFT INDEED. So its to show solidarity for fuel subsidy abi? (for economic gains ). Nt based on true love, after fuel subsidy must v bin reversed then d madness resumes abi? Ewu.

victorazy:

I don't trust those foes cuz Islam never accepted that.

Its unfortunate the actions of a group of people calling themselves Muslims have not allowed many people to know what Islam really is, especially regarding our relationship with non Muslims especially Non Muslims. Since the days of the Prophet(PBUH), it has always been a cordial and symbiotic one.
So there is nothing new in what the people in Minna has done. They are the real Muslims,

Tabon:

Those muslim youths are like wolves in sheep clothings. They are pretenders. Muslims cant guard christians.They hate them.Even those who claim to condemn d killings, deep down in their heart they are happy. Islam is not a religion of peace. Look at all d muslim countries always killing themselves. We shall deal with them very soon.

I am a Muslim and I dont hate you. Neither do my friends and every Muslim that I know. I have several Christian friends and religion difference has never been an issue and it will never be. Dont allow the condemnable actions of some people make you judge everybody unfairly.

And while there are problems in some Muslim dominated countries, there are so many peaceful ones like UAE, Qatar, Kuwait etc

^^^ True, but d Muslims themselves should uproot these guys who are hijacking your faith. No body can know how to better police and root out these guys than other Muslims. Instead d genuine Muslims deny them, but aren't bothered enough to really uproot them.