The Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) on Saturday in Abuja identified hunger and injustice as major causes of insecurity in the country.
The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, made this known while delivering a Keynote Address at a One-Day National Discourse on Corruption, Insecurity and Challenges of National Cohesion in Nigeria: Building Synergy Across Faiths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the national discourse was organised by Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).
According to him, hunger is a product of injustice in the distribution of resources.
He said that injustice in Nigeria had taken a ‘structural’ form of conflict and violence.
“The major cause of violence in Nigeria is not religion even though, some of our leaders have politically raped the society and blinded their victims with the garment of religion.
“We must deliver religion from this abuse. The reality is that hunger is one of the strong dividers in human existence while abundant food is a strong connector.
“Hunger has turned some people to slaves, thugs and hero worshippers. Even the devil knows the danger of hunger and how food can make some people worship the creatures in preference to the creator,” he said.
According to him, greed for power and governance has made politics appear like a very serious divider at all levels of human existence in the country.
“This has made politics a double edge sword that can even penetrate the unity that exists in religion and traditional institutions,” he said.
Omonokhua stressed the need for synergy between Christians and Muslims towards nation-building, saying that corruption could be eliminated if only Muslims and Christians would remain faithful to the teachings of their faiths.
