The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), yesterday said incessant attacks and the establishment of an ‘Islamic caliphate’ by the Boko Haram sect are gradually eroding Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Secretary-General of the organization, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, made the remark at a media briefing in Kaduna.
He said unending attacks by insurgents coupled with a shaky morale among security forces sent to fight the insurgents have somewhat threatened the sovereignty of Nigeria.
“The JNI and indeed all Nigerians view the fall-out of these repeated attacks, particularly in the takeover of towns and villages by the insurgents, as portending a grave danger to the nation. Nigeria’s sovereignty has been threatened as a so-called ‘Islamic caliphate’ has been carved out of her by the insurgents. An unfortunate, worrisome and embarrassing dimension has recently been added to the scenario – the way soldiers take to their heels and abandon their bases, arms, ammunition and other military hardware on the approach of the insurgents! It is sad and an unfortunate fact that Nigerian security forces only surface after the deadly attacks and terrorise an already terrorised people by installing road blocks and searching homes and business premises.
“Thousands of innocent citizens have lost their lives. Thousands have been abducted, the males forced into insurgency and the females into slavery. Thousands more are wallowing in Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Nigeria and in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. Trillions of naira worth of infrastructure and public and private property have been destroyed”, he said.
JNI, which is the umbrella body for Muslims in the North, also expressed doubts on the capability of the government and security forces in handling the fight against terrorism.
The JNI scribe, while condemming the attacks, however, urged the federal government to wake up to its responsibility of protecting lives and property.
“JNI President-General and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar on behalf of Nigerian Muslims, condemns these unabated acts of terror being unleashed on innocent citizens and calls for concerted introspection and sincere commitment by government to take proactive and effective measures in addressing this pernicious problem”, Dr. Aliyu said.
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