INSECURITY: Elder statesmen cry out to UK, bemoan alleged Islamic agenda by Buhari

Some elder statesmen who are perturbed with the rapid growth of insecurity in Nigeria have called on the United Kingdom to intervene in the situation before it degenerates into religious crisis.

According to them, the insecurity crisis in the country is due to an Islamic agenda which President Buhammadu Buhari is allegedly pursuing in his government.

The elder statesmen who wrote the UK under a Christian body  named Nigerian Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) are: Former Defence Minister, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma, retd; former Military Governor of Rivers State, General Zamani Lekwot, retd, and Chief Solomon Asemota.

The NCEF also has General Joshua Dogonyaro, retd; Justice Kalajine Anigbogu, Elder Matthew Owojaiye, Dr. Kate Okpaleke and Elder Moses Ihonde, as members.

The Christian elders, in a paper dated June 3 to the All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, APPG, UK Parliament cried that Buhari was not caring about insecurity but pursuing an Islamic agenda.

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Titled: “Competing Ideologies of Democracy and Sharia in Nigeria; The Nuance Understating of the Drivers of the Conflict in Nigeria by Farmers and Herders,” the paper was in response to the request of the APPG for written submissions to its inquiry on ongoing violence between farmers and herders in Nigeria.

They cited the prevailing wave of insecurity and quoted President Buhari’s pre-2015 comments supporting the sharia movement, “why he could die for the course of Islam, why they could not be blackmailed into killing the sharia idea, why sharia must be spread all over Nigeria, why Boko Haram members should be given VIP treatment and not killed, and why Muslims should only vote for those who will promote Islam” among others to back their claim.

“The action taken so far by the government suggests collusion or cover up by refusing to call jihad by its proper name. When a crime is committed and acts of subjugation and/or humiliation is added such as rape or religious signs or cries, this is jihad. Because the violence is motivated by ideological reasons, action taken by all interested parties must be directed towards the prevention of violence. Bullets do not kill ideology; it is a better ideology over time that can eliminate Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen and this is Democracy,” they said.

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