The Northern Christian Youth Professionals (NCYP) has called for an urgent security investigation into a viral video allegedly showing members of the JIBWIS First Aid Youth Group calling for Christians to be killed in Jos and Enugu with AK-47 rifles.
The organisation warned that inflammatory religious rhetoric could trigger another crisis in Northern Nigeria, urging security agencies to establish the authenticity and circumstances of the video and prosecute anyone found culpable.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the National Chairman of NCYP, Isaac Abrak, condemned the alleged incitement, describing the development as disturbing and calling for a lawful response to prevent an escalation of religious tensions.
Abrak said religious extremism, hate speech and incitement to violence had contributed to the insecurity affecting Northern Nigeria, where Christians and Muslims continued to suffer deaths and displacement from terrorism and banditry.
He urged security agencies to investigate the video, identify those responsible for any unlawful statements and ensure that appropriate legal action was taken where necessary.
The NCYP chairman also called on Islamic scholars, Muslim leaders and traditional rulers to condemn attempts to exploit religion to promote hatred, intolerance and violence.
He stressed, however, that Christian leaders and communities must resist provocation, reject reprisals and allow the authorities to handle the matter through established legal channels.
According to him, failure to address inflammatory rhetoric could undermine efforts to rebuild peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims after years of religious and communal tensions.
Beyond its security implications, Abrak said persistent insecurity had inflicted severe damage on Northern Nigeria’s economy, contributing to the decline of once-thriving textile factories, confectionery industries, tanneries and other businesses.
He said the resulting business closures and economic disruption had contributed to job losses and deepening poverty across the region.
The organisation maintained that lasting peace and economic recovery would remain difficult to achieve without mutual respect, religious tolerance and accountability for those who promote violence.
It warned against allowing the alleged actions of individuals to undermine the future of communities whose livelihoods and development depend on peaceful coexistence.
“Northern Nigeria cannot achieve lasting peace, security or economic prosperity without mutual respect and religious tolerance,” the statement said.
The NCYP urged residents to remain calm as the authorities investigate the matter, warning that retaliatory actions could further endanger lives and worsen existing religious divisions.
It reiterated that anyone found to have engaged in unlawful incitement should be held accountable under the law, stressing that the protection of lives and the preservation of peace must take precedence over religious or communal differences.
The statement did not independently establish the authenticity of the viral video or whether the people featured in it were acting on behalf of the JIBWIS First Aid Youth Group.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
