Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Presidency, yesterday, said recent protest by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over security situations represent the peaceful right of all Nigerians to express their views on matters of religion, ethics, politics and society.

In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, presidential media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, said CAN protests originated from the “shocking, unacceptable death of Pastor Lawan Andimi at the hands of Boko Haram. “The President feels their pain, and that of his family, for his loss.”

According to Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari believes, as does every member of his administration, both Christian and Muslim in the words of CAN’s placards: “All life is sacred.”

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The president, therefore, maintained that whether Christian or Muslim, all Nigerians and their beliefs must be respected.

“The duty of all of us is to uphold the rights of others to worship according to their faith – and to respect the rights of each other to do so freely in the spirit of brotherhood and respect – and without interference.

“This means, however, that we must stop false claims that only serve to divide one community against the other. There is no place in Nigeria for those who politicise religion. This is the President’s message to both Muslim and Christian communities alike.”

Shehu described the CAN-inspired prayers and street enlightenment as a welcome development, saying all well-meaning citizens should join the ongoing fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and corrupt practices.