He wondered why insecurity and killings have started again while they were non-existent during the general elections.
Abubakar, President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, stated this at the 2nd quarterly meeting of the organisation in Abuja on Thursday with the theme, “Media and effective leadership for nation building.”
The monarch stressed the need to engage the President-elect on the need for him to hit the ground running in bringing solutions to these problems of insecurity.
During the event, both the monarch and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, called on the media to contribute towards nation-building through their reportage.
Both religious leaders said the role of the media was very important and could be used to avoid crisis or war.
While describing the resurgence of insecurity in the country as very alarming, Abubakar said throughout the campaigns and the 2023 elections, nothing was heard about bandits and killings.
According to him, suddenly after the election, scores of people were killed in Plateau, Niger and other states.
He said, “Why this resurgence? Definitely, these resurgence are not religious. Since a new government is coming in, we are sure we can engage the government to hit the ground running in bringing solutions to these problems.
“But we cannot continue that way, because when bandits just go into people’s communities, kill them and burn their houses and nothing is done, then when the deed is done, the security agencies will go there to do what? To look at the ashes that are being burnt? People were killed in Anambra State, the bodies and the vehicles were burnt. Why that wickedness of burning and killing people indiscriminately?
“The role of the media is very important, we are all aware of what transpired in the 2023 elections, the role the media played positively and negatively. We need to listen to the leaders of these media groups talk to us on what role they want the media to play in the next dispensation.
“That is why we picked the theme, and I think it is very apt because, across the world, we have seen how the media destroyed countries. Cast your mind back, historically to what happened some years back in some countries; see what is happening now in Sudan which is very unfortunate.”
The CAN president said the leadership of NIREC chose the theme in recognition of the vital role of the media in nation-building and the need to foster a better working relationship between the media and those in leadership in the interest of Nigeria.
He said, “We love Nigeria and that is why we always reach out to all sectors in our work towards peaceful coexistence.
“Nation building could be seen as a process that involves people who work together to give a sense of community and a common identity.
The media can help to enrich the conversation of leaders by providing, amongst others, well-investigated and well-researched stories that will improve the religious literacy of leaders.
“It is my hope that our interactions with media practitioners here will deepen the collaboration of the media and those in leadership to produce a synergy that will drive effective nation-building.”
Okoh called on all media practitioners to continue to see their job as a calling, instead of a profession that guarantees quick access to riches and fame.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the theme of the meeting was apt because the media as an integral component and watchdog of every democratic society is saddled with the crucial responsibility of making credible and dependable information available to both the governed and their leaders.
He said, “It also serves as a mirror through which every government appraises its performance with a view to taking the right decision towards quality leadership and good governance, among other things.
“I want to thank the media for their unflinching support over the years in ensuring the growth and development of our democracy and to encourage that more should still be done.”
