Centre For Community Actions For Peace And Development (CCAPAD) has tasked stakeholders in Nasarawa State on religious tolerance in order to sustain the existing peace and avoid religion crisis.
The Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) made the call in Lafia during a strategic stakeholders meeting.
Speaking at the event, Mr Ahmed Salihu, Executive Director (ED) of the organisation said that the engagement was part of the implementation of their project, ‘Faith for Peace’.
He explained that the organisation was being supported in the implementation of the project by the European Union (EU) to entrench religious tolerance in the state.
He explained that religious issues are very volatile and sensitive and if not handle properly could trigger crisis.
He further said that the project was meant to train religion’s faith organisations and other stakeholders on methodology to handle religious issues in order to mitigate problems.
“We want to maintain religious tolerance, create balance of faith in approaching issues concerning the various religion in the state for better understanding.
“We reminded everyone presence that the constitution of the country has allowed citizens to belong and practice any religion of their choice.
“We encouraged all the critical stakeholders on the need not to be in conflict with the constitution and respect each other irrespective of the religion of choice,” he added.
The ED also said that the group is implementing the projects in three Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, namely, Lafia, Keffi and Karu.
He also said that they have met with a lot of organisations, groups and individuals in the course of the project and had generated a lot of information that would help toward averting religious crisis in the country.
Contributing at the meeting, Barr. Justina Allu from the ministry for justice, commended the NGO for the approach and promised to stepdown the knowledge gained to others.
Justina also called on victims and family members of human rights abuse to always speak out to enable the appropriate authorities take actions to protect them and punish perpetrators.
The meeting had in attendance, Ministry for Justice, Human Right Commission, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Boys’ Brigade (BB), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), and the Media among others. (NAN).