Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt.-General Azuibuke Ihejirika, yesterday in Lagos, expressed concern over the unpredictable and random nature of terrorist activities in the country, saying their modus operandi was posing a serious challenge to security forces in the country.
Ihejirika spoke at the Interactive Session on Military-Media Relations in Nigeria with the theme Enhancing Military-Media Relations Toward Improved Security.
He said: “In Nigeria, the activities of Boko Haram sect and other terrorist groups continue to threaten peace and security while their modus operandi poses serious challenge to security forces in the country.
“The affiliation of the sect to Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and Al-Shabab has added an international dimension to its activities.”
COAS said it had been established that Islamist sect declared intent was the Islamisation of the entire Northern states of Nigeria without regards to constitution of the country, noting that any country or community whose citizens had high level of security awareness had greater chances of defeating terrorists.
He said the role of the media in warfare took root in the dynamics of the global security environment and explained that it was established that the primary goal of terrorists was to win the attention of the media both home and abroad, and decision makers in government.
Ihejirika said: “It is for this reason that terrorists carefully select the places in which they carry out their attacks to provide the best media coverage. On the whole, terrorists rely on the media as a tool to shrink the power asymmetry between them and the governments they fight, create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, legitimise their acts, and reach greater audience.
“All these attributes have come to play in the activities of Boko Haram here in Nigeria.”
and that explains why we need to continuously partner with the media to deal with the menace.”
Declaring the programme open, Minister of Defence, Dr. Olushola Bada, said apart from performing its primary role very well, the Nigerian Army had equally promoted the ideal of professionalism, integrity and discipline in all its engagement.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The White Paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on the Security Challenges in the North-east has rejected the recommendation that the federal government should pay compensation to victims of Boko Haram attacks. It said rather than paying compensation to orphans and widows of terror victims, as recommended by the committee, government would only assist them. But it was silent on the form of assistance government would render to them.
It however recommended the regulation of preaching by Islamic clerics as one of the ways to curb the Boko Haram insurgency. In addition, the White Paper, in its roadmap for peace, called on the government to address the porosity of the Nigerian borders, which it noted encourages the smuggling of arms, ammunition and explosive materials used in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The eight-member White Paper Drafting Committee, chaired by Comrade A. Moru, which submitted its report in May 2012, was constituted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, to study and analyse the report of the presidential committee headed by Ambassador Usman Galtimari, which submitted its final report in September 2011.
It was charged with the responsibility of producing a roadmap for peace that is pragmatic, implementable and would offer an enduring solution to the insecurity in the North-east.
The eight-member Galtimari committee, which was inaugurated by Anyim in August 2011, was set up to study the security challenges in the North-east and suggest steps the government should take to address the situation with a view to restoring permanent peace in the terror-stricken area.
The government accepted most of the recommendations of the Galtimari committee and rejected only a few, including one in which it recommended that compensation should be paid to victims of Boko Haram attacks.
However, nearly a year after the White Paper on the report was submitted to government, some crucial aspects of the report that would help in achieving peace in the north are yet to be implemented, prompting an ultimatum by Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), to the federal government to implement them or face a lawsuit.
Falana, against the backdrop of the resurgence in terrorist attacks, especially in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Kano States that have left scores dead in the last three weeks, said in a statement last week that if the federal government failed to commence the implementation of the White Paper by April 15, he would not hesitate to go to court to compel it to do so.
While some chapters of the White Paper reviewed the report of the Galtimari committee and stated government’s reactions to its recommendations, another section of the document, in line with its terms of reference, detailed the roadmap to peace in the north ravaged by terrorism.
The Galtimari committee, in its report, traced the onset of terrorism to the extra-judicial killing of Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, in 2009, which resulted in the group resorting to bombing groups and individuals as well as the killing of security agents.
It traced the rise of Boko Haram to the establishment of private militias by politicians in the run up to the 2003 general election, noting that members of the well-armed groups that were used as political thugs were abandoned to their fate after the poll, forcing some to gravitate towards religious extremism and crime.
It noted that Boko Haram derived its doctrine from the teachings of a London-based Islamic scholar, Sheik Faisal, reputed for condemning Western education.
It projected that unless urgent steps were taken, Boko Haram would become more ferocious in the future, as it would use any lull in the anti-terror war to re-strategize, acquire weapons that are more dangerous and get both financial and logistic support from Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM) to give a new fillip to its terror campaign.
The Galtimari committee report discovered that Boko Haram members were trained in the Sahara desert and the leadership had established arm transportation routes to bring in weapons from Chad and Cameroun to contiguous states in the north such as Borno.
In reviewing the report of the Galtimari committee, the White Paper, a copy of which THISDAY obtained, accepted the recommendation that the federal government should enter into dialogue with moderate members of Boko Haram “in order to win the war and achieve peace.” It therefore approved the recommendation seeking the “urgent need to constructively engage and (hold) dialogue with the leadership of the sect as an essential strategy in bringing them on board”.
The committee however cautioned that government should negotiate from a position of strength by allowing the security agencies subdue the Islamic militants, adding that “dialogue with the sect should be contingent upon their renunciation of violence and surrender of arms”. The government accepted the recommendation and urged those who have access to the Boko Haram leaders to broker talks between the two parties.
The White Paper called for improvement in the performance of security operatives, through the provision of incentives such as insurance cover, extra allowances, while the entitlements of those killed in the line of duty should be promptly paid in order to cushion the effects of their death on their bereaved families.
Following the observation by the Galtimari committee that the Almajiri system of Islamic education provided a fertile ground for the insurgents to recruit new members, the White Paper called on the federal government to develop an integrated education curriculum for all children, irrespective of their religion and to regulate the Islamic system of education to prevent abuse.
On the recommendation that government should tighten border controls to curtail the insurgents’ access to weapons, the government, while accepting the recommendation, added that it had already taken steps towards that direction.
The government endorsed a recommendation on the need for tight immigration control to prevent illegal aliens that are suspected of working for Boko Haram from entering the country and directed the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, to sustain action on the profiling of foreigners and repatriation of illegal ones and those involved in crime.
But it rejected the advice that 61 Boko Haram members in detention, who had been speculated to have been killed, should be transferred to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, amidst publicity blitz, to douse tension over their condition.
Reacting to the Galtimari committee’s recommendation seeking the setting up of a Judiciary Commission of Enquiry to probe allegations of atrocities against members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed in Borno State, the government said it noted it, in addition to the steps being taken by the Defence Headquarters to investigate the allegations against military personnel engaged in the anti-terror war.
The government approved the recommendation to create job opportunities to tackle youth unemployment, which encourages youths to embrace the Boko Haram ideology that Western education is sinful, and helps the sect in recruiting members.
The government also accepted the report that detained insurgents should be rehabilitated before they are sent back to the society; engage in multilateral discussions with governments of neighbouring countries to assist in checking arms and illegal influx into Nigeria; and improve the synergy between security agencies to effectively combat terrorist activities.
On the need to foster cooperation between the states and the federal government, aimed at tackling security challenges in states, the government accepted the recommendation to create an informal security forum whereby President Goodluck Jonathan and governors, especially those of the affected states, would meet periodically to review the security situations in their states and fashion out ways to tackle them.
The government also approved the recommendation that some northern governors promoting religious discrimination through the denial of Certificates of Occupancy to churches in their states and banning the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in public schools should desist from doing so.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, has said it is implementing new security measures to forestall terrorist attacks on any of its stations. This is coming in the wake of a terrorist attack of a bus park in Kano that killed over sixty people.
The Assistant Director, Public Realtions, NRC, Mr. David Ndanusa made this known while speaking to Our Correspondent on the safety of rail travelers following the development.
“By the grace of God rail travelers have nothing to fear but that does not mean that we are taking passengers’ security for granted. When this type of thing happens, it is a clarion call for us to be more vigilant.” He said.
“In view of what happened, we are taking serious proactive security measures to ensure safety. We are not joking with that. Even in all our stations from Lagos to Kano, we are very mindful of the security situation. Already we have plain clothed security operatives in all our stations even in all the coaches.” He added.
He said the corporation would improve security emphasizing that they observe all the security details in all their services to ensure absolute safety.
“We are going to be more vigilant with what just happened. We have started scanning passengers before they enter the train, so that we don’t carry anyone who would jeopardize the security of the trains. We also have close circuits cameras installed in all the stations. So we are securing not only the trains but the tracks, the entire stretch of tracks, from Lagos to Kano. Before any trains move, a pilot locomotive would first move to scan the entire stretch of tracks before the main train passes.” He explained.
However, before now boarding the trains was always characterized by uncoordinated entries, a situation some passengers said may make it easy for security to be breached.
“This rushing in is particularly bad because of the current state of insecurity in the country now. If people rush in like that, how would you know if someone who would jeopardize the security of the train would enter too?” Ayola who traveled by the rail from Abeokuta to Kaduna said.
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Violence involving rival ethnic groups in Nigeria’s central state of Plateau has killed at least 36 people and left dozens of houses burnt over the past week, the military said on Saturday.
The latest casualties are in addition to at least 23 people killed in attacks in the volatile region last week on March 20 and 21.
Security has been tightened in the area for the Easter holidays and a military helicopter could be seen hovering on Saturday.
Violence since Monday has seen ethnic Fulani Muslims raid Christian villages in the state, an area where thousands have been killed in recent years in a cycle of attacks and reprisals.
Military officials could not give the cause of the fresh outbreak of violence in several villages, but such flare-ups often result from community disputes over land or cattle.
Plateau state lies in the so-called Middle Belt region dividing the mainly Christian south and mostly Muslim north of Africa’s most populous nation.
The latest attack occurred late Thursday in the Barkin Ladi area, said Lieutenant Jude Akpa, spokesman for a security task force in the region.
“Unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulanis attacked and killed nine persons there and three were injured,” Akpa told the French news agency.
On Wednesday, an attack and subsequent shootout in the Bokkos area killed 25, with the gunmen again believed to be Fulanis, according to Akpa.
Two police officers were also wounded by gunfire, he said.
“We had 19 persons killed,” Akpa said of the initial attack. “We sent in reinforcements… Six of the attackers were killed.”
Violence in the Riyom district on Monday left at least two police officers dead when their patrol was ambushed.
At least 30 houses were burnt in the area on March 23, said Akpa, adding he could not confirm any casualties.
Plateau has seen waves violence involving the Fulani ethnic group and Christian Beroms, who see themselves as the indigenes of the state.
Separately, Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has carried out bombings in Jos, the capital of Plateau state, as part of its insurgency in central and northern Nigeria.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The police in Kano averted a planned bomb attack as the command intercepted a bomb-laden Golf car and other dangerous weapons.
Other items recovered from the car include an AK 47 Rifle, Assault Rifle, 238 live ammunition of different caliber, Rocket Launcher, AK 47 Magazines, seven Turkey oil—stuffed with remote-control bombs, two cylinder remote-control devices, 14 hand grenades, four rolls of wire connector and 12 power source.
Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura, told reporters on Wednesday that the command, acting on intelligence, engaged a group of terrorists in a gun battle on the outskirts of the city, injuring some of them and recovering abomb-laden Golf 3 vehicle, as well as arms and ammunition.
Daura said the occupants of the vehicle instantly opened fire upon sighting a police patrol van and a gun battle ensued,with the militants retreating after receiving bullet wounds.
The CP claimed that no policeman was hurt during the attack.
He said, “On Tuesday, on about 2130 hours, based on a tip-off, our men intercepted a Golf 3 Motor Vehicle with Reg. No. AG 701 KTN at an outskirt village here in Kano.
“The occupants of the vehicle on sighting the Patrol Vehicle opened fire and immediately, our men responded with superior power, which made the occupants to abandon their vehicle and escaped with bullet wounds.
“The intention of these hoodlums was to cause havoc and destabilize peace which will subsequently lead to economic and social sabotage in Kano state.
“However, my men sealed up the whole area with a view to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects.
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SENATORS and service chiefs held a six-hour meeting in Abuja on Wednesday to review threat to Lagos by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
Present at the meeting, which held behind closed doors at the Senate chamber between 10.56 am and 5.00pm, were the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’id Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba; andChief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.
Also in attendance were the Director General of the Directorate of State Services, Ita Ekpeyong; the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, represented by Deputy Inspector General (Administration), Suleiman Fakai.
While the security chiefs were billed to brief the senators on their operations concerning curtailing the Boko Hara menace and insecurity generally in the country, our correspondents learnt that the security chiefs were reluctant to give details of their operations.
At a point during the meeting, the Senators were said to have queried the representation sent by the IG, wondering while Fakai who is in charge of administration should represent the police chief at a meeting to discuss operational strategies.
Senators were quoted to have said the DIG in charge of operations could have made better input to the discussions since the IG was said to be on another official assignment .
Fakai reportedly explained to the Senate that he had to stand in for his boss because the DIG in charge of operations was briefing the President on the same issue being discussed at the senate at about the same time.
A Senator at the meeting who pleaded for anonymity confided in one of our correspondents, “You know these are security men and they are fully aware that they are speaking to politicians. They chose their words carefully so that they will not play into the hands of people they are dealing with.
“You are aware that one or two of our colleagues in the Senate are facing investigation or trial for links with the Boko Haram group.
“After their briefing, we asked general questions about the seriousness of the threat we are facing and whether their strategy would get the job done.
“One of us asked what their position was on calls for dialogue with the sect and the unanimous answer they gave was that they were in support of whatever decision the President takes.”
Asked what specifically was discussed about Lagos, the source said, “You know I can’t give you details. Everyone was concerned because attacking our commercial capital will have dire consequences. We all agreed that we must do everything to nip it in the bud. On the whole, all options are open. That is all I can tell you.”
Another source said, “At some point it appeared as if there was a sense of helplessness over the issue.”
He however said that, unlike before, they noticed a sense of inter-agency collaboration “at least in the area of what to divulge.”
A defence source said that the service chiefs were summoned by the Senate to brief the senators on the state of security in the country.
The senators were said to have demanded explanations from the Chief of Defence Staff and the chiefs of the three services of the nation’s Armed Forces on the escalating cases of murder and kidnapping in the country.
They were said to have observed that stories of killings have become a daily occurrence in the society and this should be stopped.
At the end of the meeting, the President of the Senate said, “At plenary, the Senate was briefed by the Service Chiefs and afterwards they took questions on the same subject matter.”
At a press briefing shortly afterwards, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Eyinnnaya Abaribe, told reporters that the Senate was satisfied with the briefing it received.
He said, “The Senate devoted the entire plenary to an interaction with the service chiefs and heads of security agencies in Nigeria with a view to finding out problems and work with the different security agencies in Nigeria.
“We are satisfied with the level of interaction and the efforts aimed at making Nigeria a safe place, we are calling on Nigerians to cooperate with our security agencies to resolve these issues. “
Abaribe added, “All options on how to operate and fight terrorism for which we also signed several protocols I ‘m sure that all these kind of interaction that our security agencies are having with their counterparts in terms of security means that the fight against global terrorism is a collective one.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Defence Headquarters, yesterday, in Abuja dismissed fears being expressed over the increase in terrorist attacks in the Northern part of the country and the threat to move into the South-West, insisting that Boko Haram insurgents are fighting their last battle, as their defeat is imminent.
New Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, gave the assurance in Abuja in his maiden meeting with Defence Correspondents. He also dismissed the purported retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim.
The recent multiple bombings in Kano, Jos and Maiduguri, and the attendant problem have been making many, including foreigners living in Nigeria, jittery as they believe the sect is getting more lethal and daring.
Disclosing, however, that the reverse is the case, the DDI said: “What we are witnessing of recent from Boko Haram insurgents, I personally see as mere desperation. It is generally said that the battle is hottest when it is about to end. It is, therefore, obvious that this is the last fight by Boko Haram. From the way they have been working and the expectation from the headquarters, the fight against terrorism is coming to an end. Whatever is happening, the end of terrorism in Nigeria has come.
“Since its establishment, the JTF has identified and destroyed many IED factories, recovered large quantities of arms, ammunitions and IED materials, arrested most of their leaders and followers. They have also been able to identify and repatriate illegal immigrants from Niger, Chad, and Mali, among others.
“The efforts of the JTF have, to a large extent, made Maiduguri and its environs uncomfortable for Boko Haram. Some of the citizens who left Maiduguri at the heat of the Boko Haram insurgency are now gradually returning. In the past few weeks, there was the destruction of Boko Haram identified camps at Sambisa and Demboa games reserves.”
Admiral Ola Sa’ad Still CDS
On the purported retirement of the Chief of Defence Staff, Olukolade dismissed the assertion and urged the media to avoid sensational news and stories that could cause disaffection in the military.
His words: “The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, has not, under any circumstance, sought or asked for permission of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to voluntarily retire from active service, as reported by some national dailies and online reporters.
These media outfits, some of which are quoting an online news sites or other anonymous sources, did not bother to check for facts before embarking on this dangerous sensational report, which is capable of inciting insecurity in the country.
“This is very unfortunate, especially as it went on to paint a scenario that portrays power struggle within the services, apparently with a view to undermining the cohesiveness of the leadership of the armed forces. Admiral Ibrahim remains committed to serving the nation to the best of his ability in his capacity as the Chief of Defence Staff of the most vibrant Armed Forces of sub-Sahara Africa.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Parrot (Newspaper) of October 12, 1960 wrote what Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto said twelve days after Nigeria's independence from Britain: '' The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate from our great grand father, Othman Dan Fodio. We must RUTHLESSLY PREVENT A CHANGE OF POWER. We must use the minorities in the North as willing tools, and the South as conquered territories, and never allow them to have control of their future''.
This is what Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, (who later became the first prime minister of Nigeria) said prior to independence while speaking in the Northern region's house of assembly: ''We do not want sir, our Southern neighbours to interfere in our development. I should like to make it clear to you that if the British quitted Nigeria now at this stage, the Northern people would continue their interrupted conquest to the sea''.
Mallam Adamu Ciroma said ''Jonathan's ambition is dishonourable because he is pursuing it at the expense of the North which was entitled to 8 years under the zoning agreement for power sharing between North and the South''. He warned that the North was not leaving things to chances. In his words ''Even if President Jonathan manipulates the party primaries and eventually emerges as PDP presidential candidate in 2011, the North would deploy other options, including a consensus candidate to command popular support''.
In March, 2012 Adamu Ciroma said: ''God will bring a new Usman Dan Fodio to clean up Nigeria.
A former governor of Kaduna state, Alhaji Lawan Kaita, recently took the agitation for a 'northern president' in 2011 to a worrisome dimension. He was reported as saying that the North would make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan if he emerged as the winner of the forthcoming election. (in Kaita's words): ''Anything short of a Northern president is tantamount to stealing our presidency. Jonathan has to go and he will go. Even if he uses incumbency power to get to get his nomination on the platform of PDP, he will be frustrated out. THE NORTH SHOULD NOT BE BLAMED FOR THE CALAMITY THAT WOULD BEFALL NIGERIA if Jonathan emerges as the president''.
I am afraid if he (Jonathan) insists on standing for the presidency, there will be all sorts of confusion that could compromise the unity of Nigeria- Shettima Ali Munguno.
North ready for Nigeria's break up- Junaid Mohammed.
Such careless statements were made by other Northern leaders like Senator Kanti Bello, Hassan Mohammed Jalo, Bello Kirfi, Yahaya Kwande and Abdulrahman Danbazau.
Their Inspiration: Sharia Laws.
Jihad, defined as “to war against non-Muslims to establish the religion,” is the duty of every Muslim and Muslim head of state (Caliph). Muslim Caliphs who refuse jihad are in violation of Sharia and unfit to rule.
A Caliph can hold office through seizure of power meaning through force. (Suggesting the possibility of a coup if Goodluck Ebele Jonathan does not vacate the presidency).
It is obligatory to obey the commands of the Caliph, even if he is unjust. A caliph must be a Muslim, a non-slave and a male.(Boko Haram demand: Jonathan must become a muslim). The Muslim public must remove the Caliph if he rejects Islam.(Jonathan rejected their demand). A Muslim will be forgiven for murder of: 1) an apostate 2) an adulterer 3) a highway robber. Vigilante street justice and honor killing is acceptable.
A Muslim will not get the death penalty if he kills a non-Muslim, but will get it for killing a Muslim.(What happened to members of Boko Haram arrested by the police and JTF).
Non-Muslims are not equal to Muslims under the law. They must comply to Islamic law if they are to remain safe. They are forbidden to marry Muslim women, publicly display wine or pork, recite their scriptures or openly celebrate their religious holidays or funerals. They are forbidden from building new churches or building them higher than mosques. They may not enter a mosque without permission. A non-Muslim is no longer protected if he leads a Muslim away from Islam. (Christian are prevented from rebuilding damaged church buildings or building new ones)
A non-Muslim cannot rule — even over a non-Muslim minority. (Jonathan is ruling the whole country, joy over the death of Christian governor of Kaduna State)
-It is obligatory for a Muslim to lie if the purpose is obligatory. That means that for the sake of abiding with Islam’s commandments, such as jihad, a Muslim is obliged to lie and should not have any feelings of guilt or shame associated with this kind of lying. (The common lie is attributing the Boko Haram menace to Christians and denying that Boko Haram is wholly islamic).
Demand for amnesty and negotiation; Jizya- Protection money.
This practice enabled Muhammad and his successors to fund Islamic military expansion and the lifestyle of the religious class through extortion from non-believers. In 630, the prophet of Islam first marched an army into Christian lands in what came to be known as the "Battle of Tabuk." In fact, there was no battle because there was no opposing army. The residents were taken by surprise. Some were killed, and the survivors were forced to pay protection money to Muhammad. (Clearly abrogating the previous rule of "no compulsion in religion" that contemporary apologists are so fond of repeating). In 643, Tripoli was conquered and the native Christian Berbers were forced to give their wives and children to the Muslims as slaves to satisfy the jizya.
This lucrative extortion racket was practiced down through the centuries and was a part of the brutal Ottoman rule over Christians, Jews and others. The Serbs of Europe were particularly hard hit and often had to hand over their children to satisfy the collector. The children were then converted to Islam and trained as Jihad warriors for use in foreign campaigns (the so-called Janissaries). Does this remind you of almajiris that are mainly children of the Hausas conquered by the Fulanis in the. 19th century jihad?
In India, well into the 17th century, Muslim tax collectors would also take the wives and children of impoverished Hindus and sell them into slavery for the jizya requirement. The only way for many to avoid losing their families was to convert to Islam. This tremendous discrimination is how Islam made inroads into populations that wanted nothing to do with it. Technically, there is no such thing in Islam as an innocent non-Muslim, which makes those ballyhooed condemnations of "terror against innocent people" even more useless. There is a basis for protecting the "People of the Book" (originally Jews and Christians, but later extended to Hindus when Muslim leaders realized that killing them was not as profitable as taxing them). These would be those who place themselves completely under the rule of Muslims, relinquishing all rights and agreeing to finance the Muslim expansion. Unfortunately, even this has not been enough to spare religious minorities from extreme persecution and massacre.
Traditionally the collection of the jizya occurs at a ceremony that is designed to emphasize the subordinate status of the non-Muslim, where the subject is often struck in a humiliating fashion. M.A. Khan recounts that some Islamic clerics encouraged tax collectors to spit into the mouths of Hindu dhimmis during the process. He also quotes the popular Sufi teacher, Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi:
"The honor of Islam lies in insulting the unbelief and the unbelievers (kafirs). One who respects kafirs dishonors Muslims… The real purpose of levying the Jizya on them is to humiliate them… [and] they remain terrified and trembling." Islamic Jihad
British preacher, Anjem Choudary, points out that "the normal situation is for [Muslims] to take money from the kuffar" (at the time, he was encouraging believers in the UK to quit working and live on public benefits). The Qur'an also affirms that the collection of jizya is is the ideal relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims. The verse mandating this (9:5) occurs much later than the verse stating that there is "no compulsion in religion" (2:256), meaning that it takes precedence and abrogates the earlier verse. This is why Islamic purists such as Boko Haram and the Taliban wish to reinstate the jizya.
Contemporary Muslim apologists frequently tout the earlier "no compulsion in religion" verse when attempting to portray Islam as peaceful, and are somewhat reluctant to admit that the jizya is a penalty for not being Muslim. Tolerance in Islam isn't free. The jizya is money paid by non-Muslims so that they can keep practicing their religion. Under Islamic law, if the money is not paid, the people are to be killed or enslaved.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has warned that the refusal of President Goodluck Jonathan to grant amnesty to terror group, Boko Haram, can plunge the country into another civil war.
Ribadu, who was the presidential candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria in the 2011 presidential election, spoke on Liberty FM in Kaduna on Saturday.
He urged the President to grant amnesty to the violent Islamist sect for peace to return to the country, saying he (Jonathan) should not claim that the sect members were ghosts.
He argued that with the way things were happening in the country, if nothing was done, “Nigerians will lose Nigeria to a civil war.”
Advising Nigerians against voting for a leader they can not trust, he told Jonathan to “hearken to the voice of the people.”
Ribadu said, “Jonathan was wrong to have said he will not grant amnesty to Boko Haram; he should not fail to protect the people and when people call saying we are tired, we are down; even if it means to dialogue and have an solution to the whole process, he should opt for such.
“You cannot say they are faceless because faceless people do not do things like this. Faceless people cannot be responsible and daily you see them on Facebook. Faceless people cannot be in your custody; ghosts cannot be people that are in the community, people who at a point wanted to dialogue.”
The former EFCC chairman added that a war could be averted “if we come together forgetting about sentiments, about differences and working towards unity and saving the resources of this country because it is only through that that we will be able to achieve peace.”Punch
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
No fewer than, 500 nationals of some neighbouring countries resident in Lagos, were yesterday arrested by the state police command in connection with Thursday’s arrest of two Boko Haram suspects at Ijora area of the state.
Saturday Vanguard gathered that the arrests which was coordinated by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau,SIB, and police divisions across the state, were carried out during raids of several locations in the state. Some of those arrested, according to eyewitness included women and young children. But sources at the command said that the raid was reportedly ordered by the state Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, who asked his men to fish out suspected Boko Haram infiltrators into the state.
According to the police sources those arrested were detained at the Police Command’s Headquarters, Ikeja, where they were rigorously interrogated, documented and vetted. Most of the arrested were later discovered to be Chadians, Nigeriens and Malians who had no proper documentation to stay in the country.
”We are waiting for the CP’s order on what to do with the foreign nationals who do not have any business Lagos” the source stated.
The National Vice Chairman, Arewa Youth Development Association of Nigerian, Shuaibu Dansudu, who was at the command headquarters, to secure the release of some Hausa residents of Oke-Odo Market, Ile-Epo and Oja commended the police for making efforts at ensuring that members of the deadly Boko Haram sect do not infiltrate the state. Dansudu however, asked the Federal Government to do all it can to ensure that the sect’s insurgency was put to an end.
”Government needs to do all it can to ensure peace in all parts of the country even if it requires granting them amnesty. We can not continue to live like this,” he pleaded Meanwhile, residents of Oyegbemi Street, at Ijora 7up area of the state where two Boko Haram suspects were arrested have commended the security agencies for apprehending the suspects.
Oluwa Idowu, a resident whose uncompleted building is situated next to the area where one of the suspects was arrested, urged landlords in the state to properly vet their would-be tenants before letting their apartments to them.
”I was shocked when I heard the news but I am not familiar with the man because he just moved in three months ago. But I am grateful to God that he was arrested before he succeed in carrying out his plans. But this issue is an eye opener to landlords and home owners in this state.
We must be wary and properly vet people we rent our apartments to; so we do not fall victims to evil.
By doing so, we will assist the security agents in discharging their jobs,” She stated.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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