Insecurity which has been ravaging the Nigerian fabric in the recent time especially in the North, came to the front burner at a national symposium organised by NASFAT, in Abuja. In this report, EMMA OKEREH tries to look at the issues that played out at the conference whose main thrust was to remove the misconception about the perpetrators of violence that masquerade as muslims. ??
Peace is no doubt a sine-qua-non to development. No society can really attain its economic and political heights when the ingredients of peace, harmony social developments are lacking. It has therefore become imperative that all nations of the world that aspire to be great, must as a matter of necessity tow the path of peace among its people whether multi religious or multi- ethnic.
Nigeria is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic nation and has been having its fair share in the? distractions that come with this colouration. This? is not to say that a multi-religious nation can not make progress, but a lot depends on the understanding and management of these differences as driven by political leaders.
This is where NASRU-L-LAHI-L- Fatih Society of Nigeria scored a bulls eye.
The society which came into being in 1995 is a pace –setting Islamic organisation which has made giant strides particularly in the areas of spiritual mass mobilisation, muslim education, economic empowerment of muslims? and partnering with governments at all levels in strengthening national integration, peace and unity in the country.
All these came to the fore last Thursday,10th may,2012 when the society organized? a national symposium on Islam and peaceful co-existence in a contemporary multi-religious state .
The symposium which held at the prestigious Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre in Abuja had in attendance all the stake holders in the religious and government circle that are critical to sustenance of peace. In a way, they can be described as harbingers of peace as they control different segments of the society and have a way of influencing them.
The roll call includes the Vice President , Federal Republic of Nigeria, Architect Namadi Sambo, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar 111, Governor of state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria among others too numerous to mention.
Setting the tone of discussion, NASFAT national president Alhaji Sheriff Yussuf in his welcome address explained that the organisation was compelled to stage the symposium with that topical theme in view of prevailing security challenges in the country that is threatening our lives especially with the emergence? of militant organizations camouflaging under ethnocentric and religious facade to destroy, kill, maim and ultimately instill fear and terror into the minds of all citizens.
He stated that the symposium was convened to find solution to the mindless killing, insecurity and suspicion that has been going on among Nigerians of different hues and in particular to correct the erroneous belief that the violence is being perpetrated by muslims to impose Islamic religion against the people of other faiths.
“The platform today is intended? is intended to cleanse the seeming public mindset that the orchestrated scheme of terrors had been a campaign being perpetrated by muslims to impose Islam or as a mark of hatred against people of other faiths.
We hope to use this symposium, insha Allah to free the minds of multitudes that have been misinformed, from this rather? simplistic? hollow concept of religious coloration to the spate of attacks on innocent citizens who are of various religious beliefs’’. He submitted.
He noted that while we commend the federal government of Nigeria for the efforts being made to combat the incidents of violence against innocent citizens, particularly in the area of strengthening the security agencies, we believe more ideas and efforts are still required until we are able to stop the mindless attacks.
In his words, “The people of Nigeria need to be reassured of the visibility of the security agencies and their technical capacity to identify and contain the perpetrators of violence. We call on? all muslims and indeed, all citizens to shed the seeming attitude of distrust and avail the security agencies with information on people we know and suspect as harbouring perverted intentions’’.
Nothing can be further than this reality, otherwise, how can we explain the fact that in the face of state of emergency that is declared in some local government areas of the nation, violent killings, bombings and atmosphere of general insecurity are still prevalent.
This probably explains why in so many cases reprisal killings usually follow one form of attack or another.
In Jos, Plateau state there have been reports of reprisal killings since the disturbance erupted just as there are reports of secret killings.
In October 1991 in Kano, there was a story of one Nwobi Felix Eberechukwu who was caught in the web of religious crisis of that year during the crusade of Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke.
On that fateful day, Felix was in his uncle’s shop when rioters suspected to be Muslims attacked three churches along Zaria and Bank roads just as they attacked another at Murtala Mohammed Way.
They also attacked several Christian homes including his uncle’s who died in the process along with his wife and son.
Distraught Felix mobilised some Christian youths in the area and retaliated by attacking Muslims and mosques .
After the crisis, he was marked down for elimination and he fled till date, nobody knows his where abouts.
In Kaduna, a youth was killed several months after a particular crisis had simmered. He had gone into hiding after he had led other youths in the crisis but the Christians there knew him and when he reappeared, he was killed and it sparked off another round of disturbance but for the prompt intervention of the security agencies it would have escalated.
Some years back, there were reprisal attacks in the South- East particularly Abia state in response to religious killings in the North.
The list is long but it continues to promote mistrust, underdevelopment and insecurity.
The present crisis being orchestrated by the Boko Haram is already having its economic toll on the nation particularly the North.
This is unfortunately coming at a time when conscious efforts are being made to make government accountable and responsive to the yearnings of its citizens. People are becoming more aware and would no longer accept any thing short of good governance and dividend of democracy.
It was reported that the North loses N25 billion daily to Boko Haram insurgency, this is apart from human lives whose value can never be equated in monetary terms. This startling revelation was made by Alhaji Ahmad Rabiu, chairman of the conference of Northern states chambers of commerce, industry, mines and agriculture.
Similarly, the Damaturu local government caretaker committee chairman of Yobe state, Alhaji Gudama Bukar, has said that his local government also lose over N200 million re venue every month.
It follows that in every twist and turns, the loss occasioned by insecurity is mind boggling.
NASFAT has made it clear just like other true muslims that Islam is a religion of peace and described those that perpetrate violence in the guise of? being muslims as impostors.
At the event, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar said that there was no plan to Islamise Nigerians by force insisting that Islam is a religion of peace.
‘’Let me emphasize here that muslims are not having any plan to Islamise Nigerians by force. What Islam stands for is peace and nothing more’’. His Eminence submitted.
On his part, the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo assured that the federal government is committed to achieving its transformation agenda saying that the agenda was a panacea for peace and national cohesion. He decried the activities of the sect which he said attempted to hijack government’s efforts towards national unity and progress.
“Islam is a religion of peace, a way of life, and cannot promote mindless killing and wanton destruction of property. I am not aware of any religion that promotes or encourages unprovoked attack on other people. It is clear that the terrorist attacks are targeted at all segments of our society and I seize this opportunity to call on them to come forward for a dialogue. The government is ready to discuss with them’’. The Vice President assured.
Professor Dawud Noibi, who is Executive Secretary Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria? had in a paper he delivered at the symposium themed ‘’Jihad and its implications for peaceful co-existence in a multi-religious state’’ reasoned that every adult Nigeria ought to be interested in the peaceful co-existence of the various ethnic and religious groups in the country.
“There is no doubt about the fact that ethnic and religious harmony and conflicts are destructive and would render real development a virtually unattainable dream. Therefore, the fact that the ever increasing security challenges that we encounter in Nigeria today assume a religious dimension should be source of great concern for every adult Nigerian.