"Boko Haram is not Islam. They have nothing to do with Islam and must be dissociated with Islam." This is the viewpoint of Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad - Nigeria's Muslim cleric as he led a symbolic prayer-service on Friday last week at the Gani Fawehenmi Freedom Park in Lagos.
'Freedom Park', as it is known amongst Nigerians, was the stomping ground for protestors in Lagos as they campaigned against the hike in fuel prices by the government.
Sheikh Ahmad, Head of the Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, stated that "Boko haram must not be affiliated with Islam." The cleric asked why the recent crisis caused by militants in the Niger-delta region was not linked to Christian sects when they are the ones thought to be bombing oil producing areas.
"If there is a problem with the Niger-Delta militants, it is not linked to Christian sects but when it comes to Boko Haram, Islam is affiliated" he said disappointingly. "This is wrong and unfair" said the cleric, adding that "Terrorism is evil and it is not Islam" he affirmed.
He went on to explain that "there is no conflict between Muslims and Christians", adding that their "collective problems as Nigerians are oppression, bad governance and corruption."
He called on the media to remain unbiased in its reporting as he observed that "Boko Haram is killing Muslims in Mosques in Maiduguri which is under-reported." "Churches and Mosques are being bombed with equal rage."
Revenge
In a video message posted on YouTube, a new leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau defended the recent attacks of Christians in Northern Nigeria, as "revenge for the killing of Muslims".
In a response to the video, Reverend Dapo Daramola of the Methodist Church of Nigeria has urged the federal government to fish out the members of Boko Haram responsible for its publication so that they can be brought to justice.
He explains: "Now that Boko Haram have a face and have affirmed their links with al-Qaeda... similar to how Osama bin-Laden makes use of his videos, the Nigerian government must now step-up its intelligence gathering and go after these guys."
Terrorism not holy war
Boko Haram militants have carried out specific attacks on several churches killing dozens of worshippers in northern Nigeria and this has led to some reprisals in the south with attacks reported on Mosques in two states.
Reverend Daramola supports the view of Sheikh Ahmad that the country is not facing a religious war/ crisis but one of terrorism. He condemned the killings of Christians in the north saying he feels "very sad and dispirited over the growing loss of life and livehoods and the growing failure and capacity of the government to declare war against these people."
The clergy are now looking to the Nigerian government to work with foreign intelligence to address the security issue, which is "apparently beyond the capacity of the Nigerian Police Force and is fast taking its toll on Christians," concluded the reverend.
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I'm a good christian an i understand with you that there's no any conflit between christian and muslim. What made people to emphasize on connection of muslim and boko haram is the kind of the way all the churches are been molested in the north by boko haram sect without any record of the mosque been attack. I have a lots of muslim friends an they are very good without any spirit of descrimination. But you talk of the issue of militants in niger delta, they kidnapped an unfortunate prominent men in government then demanded for their needs an release the victim by the complying of government with their demand, but boko haram sect is to destroy all the churches in the north demanding nothing from government. My brother, by the power of the living God, the agenda of the evil agent call boko haram must be useless. I'm always weeping whenever i read what boko haram are doing in our nation but God will surely help us.
Imam if u don't know what 2 say pls b silent ur illustration is senceless and baseless hw do u describe d activities of militant 2 dat of boko haram militant never attack moques neither do they say we are fighting government and muslims so Boko haram is a islamic sect i stand 2 b corrected.their name is islamic the fought and kill Christians, i want Christian 2 knw dat muslim rejoice when ever the sect(boko haram)carryed an attack, xtian do nt believe them the are birds of same feither flown 2gether it a lie