Press Release: NSCEA Credits Muslim Sects Who Occupied Kaduna Church to Worship on Christmas Day

Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA) has acknowledged and credit the Muslim Sects who occupied Kaduna Church to worship with the Christians on Christmas day! Speaking at NSCEA Secretariat, Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the Secretary, NSCEA, congratulates both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria saying it’s such a welcome development.
We are grateful and appreciative of our Muslim brothers and sisters that graced the occasion of the Christmas service in a Kaduna Church and shared many gifts. May the Almighty God continue to bless you and answer your prayers.
In her Christmas message, Bishop Davies also said it’s high time Christians and Muslims all over the world, especially in Nigeria acknowledged their meeting points both as sons of father Abraham and Jesus Christ as the Messiah, which is the central message of both the Holy Bible and Quran.
In a news published on 25 December 2022 by Jane Oke with Agency News, titled: “Muslim Sects occupy Kaduna Church,” it was reported that: “A large number of Muslim youths and Islamic scholars attended this year’s Christmas service and shared many gifts to strengthen Christian – Muslim relationship in the northern part of the country.
According to the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry, Pastor Yohanna Buru, every year, hundreds of Muslims from 19 northern states usually joined them in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at his Church, to promote peace and unity.
Buru said the different sects of Muslim organizations, including members of Tijjaniya, shiites under Islamic Movement of Nigeria and other Sunni Muslims joined them with the sole purpose of strengthening peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance.
The Muslim groups also presented gifts to the Church as a sign of peace, love and better understanding.
“They came with many gifts and awards which they shared to the Christians to strengthen Christian and Muslims relationship.
The Christian cleric said this year’s Christmas celebration came amids high inflation, insecurity, and rising costs of foodstuff, poverty and unemployment bedevilling peace and stability in the country.
Buru added that last year, more than 1,000 Muslims attended the Christmas service and they came with their different gifts to share with Christian brothers to strengthen interreligious tolerance .
Buru further called on Islamic and Christian clergies to embark on ceaseless prayers towards the conduct of peaceful elections in 2023.
He called on Nigerians to equally pray for the Nigerian Army and para military organizations to defeat insecurity challenges bedevilling peaceful coexistence.
Reports revealed that Muslim youths, in corporate dresses, visited other Churches including Unguwar Rimi Church.
Responding, one of the Islamic scholars sheik Salisu Abdullahi Giwa, who headed a delegation of buses loaded with Muslims from Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, said they were in Kaduna to join their brothers, the Christians, to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
He said they decided to attend the Church service to mark the Christmas, a day that the birth of Jesus Christ was being celebrated over the globe.
He said that as Muslims, they considered Christians as their fellow brothers and sisters in humanity, stressing that they were at the Church service to join them in celebrating and sharing the joy of the day with them.
He then appealed to Muslims and Christians to remember that they were all the children of eve and Adams.
He said both adherents had holy books sent from one God which teaching and guiding them how to live in peace and harmony with any one, irrespective of tribe, culture and ethnicity.
Another imam based in Kaduna, Malam Ibrahim Musa from Hayin Kogi, expressed happiness on how Muslims and Christians promoted good relationship.
He added that they would award the pastor for promoting peace for many years in the state.
Mohammed zakariya, who headed Nigeria Youth for Peace Initiative, also lead a team of Muslims to Unguwar Rimi church.
After attending the service, they shared gifts and some economic trees for the Church. NSCEA appreciates this graceful gesture of brotherhood, and would want it to continue. Thank you!

Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-DaviesSecretary, Elders’ CouncilNigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA).