Kaduna, Nigeria - The Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Reverend Ignatius Kaigama, has blamed religious leaders and traditional rulers for the spate of religious conflicts, especially in the North.
He said that the leaders should be held responsible, saying that "each time there is a religious crisis we claim hooligans are responsible, yet when the same hooligans are arrested by security agents, frantic efforts are made by some of their religious and traditional leaders to free them."
Speaking in Kaduna during the inauguration of the new Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna Diocese, Reverend Matthew Man'Oso Ndagoso, at the Kaduna Township Stadium, Kaigama called for strong condemnation of the hooligans and miscreants.
"I feel we do not condemn strongly the so-called hooligans or fanatics and their criminal activities. We boast of numerical increase in churches and mosques in the country, yet we witness a gradual decline in morality and corruption has somewhat become a hobby.
"Many Christians and Muslims in public office lack the capacity to translate the values of their religions to selfless service for their neighbour and country. Some instead exploit religion for political or material gains," he said.
In his inauguration speech, the new Archbishop said that there was no alternative to dialogue for peaceful co-existence among various religious groups in the community.
"I am sure that Kaduna State has learnt her bitter lessons and in the hard way too that there is no alternative to dialogue if we want peaceful co-existence between the different ethic and religious groups," he said.
"It goes without saying that peace between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, given the combined numerical strength of the two religious communities, means peace and justice for Nigeria and Nigerians."