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CSO condemns restrictions on Christian worship in Northern Nigerian Universities

Published

1 year ago

May 20, 2024

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the restrictions on Christian worship in federal universities in Northern Nigeria. According to Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, these universities have refused to allow the construction of Christian churches on their campuses, despite having mosques for Muslim students.

HURIWA has called on the federal government to address this issue, citing the constitutional provision that Nigeria has no state religion. The group has also condemned the destruction of a Christian center in Ilorin, Kwara state, allegedly by persons sent by the Ilorin Emirate Council, and has called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

“HURIWA is disappointed that federal universities in the North are denying Christian students their right to worship, while mosques are built in universities in the South,” said a spokesperson for the group. “This is a clear violation of the constitutional rights of Christian students and must be addressed immediately.”

Bishop Kukah, in a recent television interview, expressed dismay over the closure of doors to churches in universities in Northern Nigeria, highlighting the pattern of diminishing diversity and meritocracy in Nigerian universities. He noted that while mosques are built in universities in Southern Nigeria, Christian students in Northern Nigeria are denied the same right.

HURIWA has urged the National Assembly and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take action to address this issue, citing the need for federal universities to respect the constitutional rights of all students, regardless of their religious beliefs. The group has also called for an end to religious apartheid in Nigeria’s educational institutions.