Nigeria under jihad, Christian elders insist
The National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF) says Nigeria is in the throes of jihad.
The group said the crisis in the country was as a result of a conflict between democracy and Sharia.
It had issued a statement in July alleging that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was Islamising the country.
In a follow-up statement signed by Solomon Asemota, NCEF chairman, the group insisted that a Jihad had been launched in the country.
“The objective of the Islamists (political Islam) is to supplant the constitution of Nigeria with Sharia ideology as the source of legislation in the nation,” it said.
“The conflict between democracy as national ideology and Sharia as a usurping ideology is responsible for the crisis unfolding in Nigeria. The nation is in the throes of Jihad.”
The NCEF challenged Muslim leaders, who are denying the existence of a jihad in the country, to clarify certain pronouncements over the issue, including the declaration of Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader, that his war is against unbelievers.
I am confused in seeing the logic of the position of these elders. The fact is a fringe extremists group makes pronouncements of their desire to islamise nigeria and then proceeds to unleash mayhem on their supposed primary beneficiaries who are already of the faith. Now NCEF is insisting the leaders of the persecuted community should prove their interests are not actually being promoted/protected by their persecutors.
There is too much talk about religion in this country. Religion and the so-called religions leaders are taken too seriously in Nigeria. There are more serious existential issue to worry about.
As a Christian will I be required to prove my patriotism and allegiance to Nigeria because some Jehovah Witness members are against singing the National Anthem or reading the National Pledge? So because mad people who call themselves Boko Haram are killing innocent people, most of them Muslims, there is Islamisation going on. Ridiculous.