DSS didn’t invite Kukah for criticizing Buhari, spokesman clarifies

* Christian youths want Gumi invited, quizzed

Reverend Christopher Omotosho, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, has dismissed as untrue, reports that the cleric was invited by the Department of State Service (DSS) over his criticism of President Muhammadu Buahri.

Kukah was reportedly invited by the DSS for criticizing the President over the worsening insecurity in the country.

Kukah had, in his in Christmas Day message, criticised President Buhari and other Northern leaders over rising cases of kidnapping and killing in the region.

And last weekend, the media was awash with reports that the Bishop had been invited by the DSS, which elicited outrage from Civil Society Organisations and religious leaders alike.

Omotosho, while giving an update on the reported invitation, described it as untrue and encouraged the public to ignore it.

“The news that the Bishop was summoned for questioning by the DSS regarding his Christmas message cannot be true because the Bishop is yet to receive either call or mail from the DSS,” he said.

Nonetheless, some Christian youths under the aegis of the Christian Association of Nigeria Youth Wing (YOWICAN) resolved to mobilise and join Bishop Kukah as he honours the DSS invitation.

The President of YOWICAN, Belusochukwu Enwere, disclosed this through a statement titled: ‘We will mobilise Christian youths across the country to answer DSS invitation of Bishop Kukah’.

The group said Kukah was invited by the DSS for his comments on the state of the nation, in which he blasted the President Muhammadu Buhari.

It said instead of inviting only Kukah, the DSS should also invite and question controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, for “fraternising with bandits”.

“The attention of YOWICAN has been drawn to the purported invitation extended to Bishop Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese. Bishop Kukah committed no offence; rather the government should channel her energy in the fight to liberate the country from terrorists and bandits.

“Recently, more than 200 people were killed in Zamfara State and villagers displaced. This is disheartening indeed. We will mobilise all Christian youth across the country to honour this invitation.

“The DSS has extended her invitation to us, not Bishop Kukah, and we will honour it. The DSS should first invite Ahmad Gumi for questioning for interfacing with bandits.

“Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has advised people in the terrorised North-West of Nigeria on how they can live in peace with the armed bandits occupying their forests,” they said.

YOWICAN quoted Gumi as saying that people could develop “mutual relationship with the bandits without being harmed”.

According to Enwere, Gumi has been “fraternising with the bandits and he has been working freely without any invitation from the DSS or police”.

He said: “The DSS has invited Bishop Matthew Kukah for questioning, days after the prominent Catholic priest ramped up his criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to curb nationwide insecurity.

“Bishop Kukah had slammed President Buhari in his Christmas sermon, saying the Nigerian leader has failed to show competence as terrorists, bandits and other violent criminals embark on a coordinated and relentless rampage across the country.