Delegates from Northern minorities Monday enjoined the National Conference to deliver them from oppression, which they claimed they have suffered over the years from the powerful northern elites.
According to them, the minorities in the north have suffered oppression and now totally depressed, saying the powerful elites have through marginalisation over the years taken away the right of the minorities in that part of the country.
They said they were being denied right to build churches in some areas while where such exist, they were demolished.
The Minorities also complained they are being denied issuance of indigene certificate and Settler Certificate to indigenous Hausa and Fulani Christians in some northern states.
They posited further that this directly denies them access to employment in the Federal, States and Local government services, as well as in the security agencies.
The memorandum presented to the Conference states, “The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stipulates that no citizens of the country shall suffer or be subjected to discrimination or disadvantage on grounds of class, ethnicity, religion, gender or disability.
“However, in the Northern states religious discrimination has become institutionalised by the Federal, States and Local governments.
“In northern states there is confiscation of missionary and community schools by federal and state governments.
“Promotion and building of al-maajiri religious schools by the federal government, which constitute official government discrimination against Christians in Northern Nigeria on the basis of religion;
“The use of state resources for the promotion of religious objectives and agenda of some religious groups;
“Discrimination in access to employment, education, health,land and other services at the federal, states and local government levels.
“Some people believe that they have the right to build mosques anywhere in Nigeria but prevent from building of churches in certain areas, and burn down or demolish existing churches.
“Individuals, churches, and voluntary agencies desiring to acquire land are required to undertake never to build or sell or donate such land for the purpose of building churches in several northern states.”
