From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) has disowned Bishop Olabode Daniel TLD, the inter-faith human rights activist and constitutional justice administrator, over his alleged erroneous publications misinterpreting the speech of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, at the third quarterly NIREC meeting that ended in Abuja a few weeks ago.

NIREC insisted that the publication by Bishop Olabode was wrong and misleading, asking the public to disregard it and demanded that it be retracted by the writer.

NIREC Executive Secretary Rev Fr Cornelius Omonokhua, in a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, referred to the remarks of the SGF as having been misinterpreted and demanded that it be reviewed for proper understanding.

‘This misguiding error that is currently trending on social media claimed that the SGF declared that from September 2021, the Federal Government through the Police will start arresting Bishops and Pastors who are using their Church pulpits to preach against the Federal Government,’ Rev Omonokhua said in the statement.

Related News

‘The write-up claims among other frivolous things that the SGF has indirectly declared war against the Nigerian Pastors. That’s untrue.

‘NIREC under the Co-chairmanship of His Eminences, Rev D. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) stated that in the just-concluded third quarterly NIREC meeting, the SGF while declaring the meeting open, was of the opinion that leaders that are fond of making statements that do not in any way bring succour and comfort to people but rather further deepening discord ought to be cautioned.

‘During the address, the SGF did not mention anything about Bishops or Pastors. For the avoidance of doubt, the full video clip of his address can be accessed on NIREC YouTube channel.’

He said that NIREC is committed to the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians, and the Federal Government through the SGF office will support NIREC to achieve its noble mission and vision.