Faith and Moral Issues
Hausawa Muslim and Christian and Traditional Worshippers are in Support of The Motion for Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026
The Hausawa Tsantsa Movement Mesa Ta Tashi hereby issues this press statement to formally express appreciation to Congressman Rerly M. Moore for his legislative initiative through the proposed Religion Freedom and Accountability Act 2026. This motion is viewed as a significant contribution toward strengthening global conversations around religious liberty, institutional responsibility, and protection of vulnerable populations affected by extremism and abuse carried out in the name of religion. We acknowledge the importance of legislative oversight in ensuring that religion remains a force for peace, justice, and coexistence across societies.
We further note the reported proposal within the motion to examine and possibly designate certain individuals and organizations, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, under terrorism-related scrutiny where credible evidence exists. As law-abiding citizens committed to peace, the Hausawa Muslim, Christian, and traditional worshipping communities support lawful, evidence-based processes that promote national and international security while respecting due process and human rights standards. Any designation must be based on verified intelligence, legal review, and international best practices.
Our support for this motion is rooted in the long-standing history of coexistence among religious communities within Hausawa society. Across generations, Muslims, Christians, and adherents of traditional beliefs have shared markets, neighborhoods, and cultural values centered on mutual respect and social stability. The protection of religious freedom is therefore not only a constitutional matter but also a cultural necessity for sustaining peace in diverse societies.
In addition, we respectfully encourage Congressman Moore to extend his legislative and diplomatic attention to issues surrounding the operations and accountability frameworks of religious enforcement bodies such as the Hisbah Command operating in Kano State. While moral and social regulation structures may exist within constitutional frameworks, there remains a need for transparency, accountability, and alignment with universally accepted human rights principles to prevent misuse of authority or discrimination against minorities.
We also call for objective international dialogue on the application of Sharia-inspired policies within constitutional democracies, particularly where such policies intersect with pluralistic societies. In regions historically influenced by the Sokoto Caliphate legacy and traditional emirate governance structures such as that of Katsina, it is important that governance models evolve in ways that protect religious minorities while preserving cultural heritage and social harmony.
Furthermore, the Hausawa Tsantsa Movement Mesa Ta Tashi reiterates its commitment to peaceful advocacy, social justice, and constructive engagement with global partners. We believe that meaningful reforms and legislative actions must aim to reduce violence, counter extremism, and promote inclusive governance systems that give equal protection to all citizens regardless of faith, ethnicity, or cultural background.
Finally, we extend our appreciation once again to Congressman Rerly M. Moore for initiating discussions that may strengthen global standards on religious accountability and freedom. We remain hopeful that continued engagement between international policymakers and local communities will help build safer societies, reinforce the rule of law, and promote sustainable peace across regions facing religious and security challenges.
Written by Hajiya Kaltume Alumbe Jitami, Hausawa Tsantsa Movement Mesa Ta Tashi
Faith and Moral Issues
Terrorists’ Threat on My Life: They can kill the Messenger but cannot kill the Message”
–Rev Dachomo
By Michael Lim
Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, the Regional Leader of the Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN has raised the alarm that suspected terrorists sent him and members of his church a letter threatening to kill them days after nine of his relatives were killed in an attack on communities in Plateau State.
The pastor shared the statement on x, saying copies of the threat letter had already been handed over to security agencies.
The threat letter was written in both Hausa and English, he said. In the statement, he said:
“A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. The letter was written in both Hausa and English, and its message was terrifying.
“They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives. Copies of the threatening letters have already been handed over to the security operatives,” he said.
Despite the threats, the cleric said he remained unafraid because he believed his life was in God’s hands.
“Many people have asked me if I am afraid. My answer is no. I am not afraid because my life is in the hands of Almighty God,” he said.
Quoting Psalm 118:6, he added, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?”
Dachomo decried the recent attack that left him with painful memories of burying loved ones and comforting families devastated by violence.
In his words:
“I know what it means to bury those I love. I know what it means to wipe the tears of children who watched their parents murdered. I know what it means to stand before grieving families whose only crime was refusing to deny Jesus Christ.
“Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime?” he said.
The pastor questioned if advocating for widows, orphans and persecuted Christians had become an offence saying:
“Is my crime that I speak for widows who have no voice? Is my crime that I cry for orphaned children whose parents were murdered? Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria so the world will not forget them?
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, arrived in the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 2 July to take part in celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the country, and concluded his visit on Tuesday, 7 July.
The West African nation is home to more than 30 million Catholics and over 10,000 Catholic priests, while continuing to face significant internal security challenges.
During the visit, as reported by the Secretariat of State’s official X account, @TerzaLoggia, Archbishop Gallagher met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.
Also present were Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu and ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray.
Following the meeting, President Tinubu told local media that he had reaffirmed the government’s commitment to giving priority to interreligious dialogue and to promoting peace, harmony, and tolerance among the country’s different religious communities.
The Vatican Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations also celebrated Mass on Sunday morning at the Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria in Garki, Abuja, in thanksgiving for 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Nigeria.
Vatican News
By Michael Lim
The Vatican on Tuesday stressed a long-standing rule that only an ordained priest or deacon can give a sermon at a Catholic mass, turning down German bishops’ proposal to broaden the practice and allow sermons by women or other laypeople.
Responding to the request, a release from the Vatican insisted that “The current discipline cannot be dispensed from,” said the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which oversees worship by the world’s over 1.4 billion Catholics.
Catholic masses include a sermon, where a priest or a deacon offers a reflection on the day’s Bible readings. The German bishops’ conference had asked earlier this year for permission for laypeople to also offer sermons.
Sources indicate the German request echoed sentiments from many bishops in the U.S. and other European countries, who say many laypeople are as capable of preaching as priests. They often cite a desire to hear sermons from women, who cannot be ordained in the Catholic Church.
The Vatican did not provide its full response to the German bishops, only a press release summarizing its decision.
“The reservation of the homily to a priest or deacons is not a merely disciplinary norm but derives from the very nature of the liturgy,” the release said.
The Catholic Church teaches that during a mass, a priest acts “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ), and it is God who acts through the priest during worship.
Laypeople are allowed to give sermons at prayer services outside of a mass
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