President Muhammadu Buhari saturday in Daura, Katsina State, lamented the scourge of violent extremism in Islamic religion, describing it as the greatest challenge facing the religion today. According to the President, “extremism is like a cancer, which must be detected and destroyed from its early stages of growth,” assuring Nigerians that Boko Haram terrorism, kidnappings and other forms of banditry “would be dealt with uncompromisingly until we see the back of these evils plaguing our country.’’
The president who argued that Islam is a religion of peace, advised fellow Muslims to shun the idea of violent extremism and its evil influence, regretting that the trend is giving Islam a bad name.
He also remarked that the greatest commitment Muslims could give to Islam is to put its good virtues into practice and also make justice and righteousness the guiding principle of their everyday lives.
A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as saying, “Islam is a religion of peace and we should avoid violent extremist ideas that give Islam a wrong name because our conduct leave more lasting positive impressions than what we say by word of mouth.’’
He also said the president regretted that “violent extremism is the greatest challenge facing Islam today,” adding that “the only way we can neutralise its evil influence is to distance ourselves from the activities and teachings of those who preach indiscriminate violence against innocent people, and this flies in the face of the teachings of Islam.’’
According to Shehu, Buhari advised parents to “protect their children from the deadly exposure to violent extremists who manipulate and exploit those children for their own evil agenda.’’
He also said the president blamed the emergence and eventual stay of Boko Haram on the silence Muslim societies whom he said looked the other way when proponents of the terrorist group began to preach violence in the beginning to those he described as gullible followers.
“Boko Haram became a deadly force and a major security scourge because Muslim societies were indifferent from the beginning to the activities of extremist preachers who manipulate innocent and gullible followers,” he further the president.
According to the statement, Buhari added that “extremism is like a cancer, which must be detected and destroyed from its early stages of growth,” assuring Nigerians that Boko Haram terrorism, kidnappings and other forms of banditry “would be dealt with uncompromisingly until we see the back of these evils plaguing our country.’’
It also also said the president noted that despite occasional setbacks in the war against Boko Haram, the terrorists had been largely subdued in a way that they no longer possess the capacity to occupy any part of the country.
Furthermore, Shehu said Buhari disclosed that the armed forces were not only getting more equipped and trained, but also being mobilised to intensify the battle against terrorism in federal government’s bid to ensure the protection of citizens.
“Despite occasional setbacks, the Boko Haram militants have been so militarily weakened and scattered by our Armed Forces that they are no longer in a position to occupy any part of Nigeria, let alone hoist their flag and impose their reign of terror longer than 24 hours.’
“As our armed forces get more equipped and trained, in addition to being more motivated and reinvigorated, this administration is relentlessly committed to protecting Nigerians no matter what it takes to bring a permanent end to this evil,’’ the President further assured Nigerians,” he was further quoted.
The statement added that Buhari urged Muslims to be tolerant and continue to work for peace, unity, national integration, and peaceful coexistence.