To foster peace and togetherness, hundreds of Muslims from 19 northern states typically join them in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at Pastor Yohanna Buru’s church, according to the general overseer of the Christ Evangelical and Life Intervention Ministry.
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria’s Shiites, Tijjaniya members, and other Sunni Muslims, according to Buru, joined these organizations with the express intention of promoting religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The Muslim organizations also sent the Church gifts as a gesture of goodwill, love, and increased understanding.
To improve ties between Christians and Muslims, “they came bearing various presents and awards, which they distributed to the Christians.”
The Christian preacher claimed that the nation’s peace and stability were being undermined by high inflation, unrest, rising food prices, poverty, and unemployment as the nation celebrated Christmas this year.
More than 1,000 Muslims attended the Christmas ceremony last year, according to Buru, and they brought a variety of gifts to give to their Christian brethren in order to promote interreligious harmony.
Buru added urged Christian and Islamic clergy to begin nonstop prayers in support of the conduct of peaceful elections in 2023.
He urged Nigerians to pray for both the Nigerian Army and paramilitary groups to overcome the security issues that threaten peaceful coexistence.
According to reports, Muslim youngsters visited other churches, including Unguwar Rimi Church, while dressed professionally.
One of the Islamic scholars, Sheik Salisu Abdullahi Giwa, responded that they were in Kaduna to celebrate the birth of Jesus with their Christian brothers. He was leading a group of buses filled with Muslims from Katsina, Kano, and Zamfara.
He claimed that they made the decision to go to church on Christmas, a day when the birth of Jesus Christ was being commemorated all over the world.
He emphasized that they were at the church service to celebrate and share the joy of the day with them as Muslims and that they thought of Christians as their other brothers and sisters in humanity.
Then he urged both Muslims and Christians to keep in mind that they were all Eve and Adams’ children.
He claimed that, regardless of tribe, culture, or race, both adherents possessed holy scriptures that had been sent from the same God, teaching and directing them on how to live in peace and harmony with everyone.
Malam Ibrahim Musa from Hayin Kogi, a different imam headquartered in Kaduna, expressed delight about how Muslims and Christians encouraged a positive connection.
He continued by saying that the preacher would receive an honor for having long promoted peace in the state.
The leader of the Nigeria Youth for Peace Initiative, Mohammed Zakariya, also led a group of Muslims to the Unguwar Rimi church.
They shared gifts and some money trees for the church after the service.