Boko Haram: Oritsejafor hits Bamanga Tukur

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Headlines Friday, May 25th, 2012

…Says PDP national chair is sect’s spokesman

•Over 1,000 Christians killed so far – CAN • ‘He was misquoted’

…Sultan: Enough of bloodshed

Photo:

Sun News Publishing

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor

By:

JOE EFFIONG, Uyo, NOAH EBIJE, Kaduna, Taiwo Amodu, Abuja

Date:

Fri, 05/25/2012 – 14:04

From Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), came a bombshell yesterday when he described Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as spokesman of the dreaded Islamist sect, Boko Haram.

The venue of his outburst was Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he briefed the media on the resolutions of the CAN’s extra-ordinary council meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC). Pastor Oritsejafor said that for Tukur, leader of the biggest party in Africa to have justified Boko Haram’s activities as a fight for justice showed that many leaders in Nigeria were active supporters of the sect.

As the CAN leader spoke, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Jama’atul Nasri Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111, yesterday in Kaduna appealed to members as well as the Muslim Ummah to ensure peace and security reign in the North CAN president wondered the kind of justice, Boko Haram was fighting for when even the Federal Government had paid the family of their slain Mohammed Yusuf, N100 million, claimed as damages for the assumed extra-judicial killing of the sect leader.

“But thousands of Christians are being killed. I know of Pastor Ojeh, from Benue State whom he alleged Yusuf personally killed for refusing to cite some verses of the Quran in Maiduguri. We had since evacuated the widow and three children and paid rent for them in another state. Every Christmas, we would send food and money to them. Who has compensated that family till now; so, what is justice in the eyes of Bamanga Tukur?” Oritsejafor asked.

On the resolutions of the NEC meeting, the CAN president said; “NEC observed the sporadic shootings, incessant killings of Christians, the bombing of churches, silent killings, slaughtering and the silent disposal of corpses of those killed have continued. NEC members believe that contrary to the orchestrated reasons of poverty and injustice, by some Muslim leaders in the North, Boko Haram had been masterminding the series of bomb and gun attacks which are primarily targeted at Christians in its bid to exterminate all forms of Western education and enthrone the Islamic law of Sharia as the universal law in Nigeria.

“The NEC of CAN observes that the total number of people killed by the sect members is far more than it is reported in the media and the sequence of fatal attacks and silent killings present a grim picture of the trauma of Christians in the North. According to the figures presented at the meeting, the 300 deaths recorded in March went up to about 500 in April and by yesterday, May 23, the figure has hit over 1,000 with more number of injured Christians.”

Pastor Oritsejafor said both government and security agencies need to do more to contain the senseless killings and that government should seriously consider Boko Haram as a terrorist group, even as NEC urged the government to mobilize human and financial resources in its fight against the sect.

While reiterating the call for prayers and fasting by all Christians on June 16, NEC asked all CAN blocs to be united and begin to speak with one voice at these difficult times. On corruption, the CAN president said it was the observation by NEC that “virtually all sectors of the economy are riddled with cases of corruption and that government management of the fight against corruption is still cosmetic.

He urged the government “not to behave like a man who stepped into a pitch dark room, straining his eyes to catch a reflection of the smile on his face in a mirror. It should switch on the light in the room or step out into the light. At the same time, NEC calls on the government to accelerate its efforts at reducing poverty and social injustice in the country.” Efforts to obtain Tukur’s reaction were futile as his Personal Assistant, Suleiman Saheed, told Daily Sun that Alhaji Tukur was in a meeting. “Please, Baba cannot attend to you now, because he is in a meeting.” But the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, claimed that newsmen misquoted Tukur.

“ He never said anything of such. He has a lot of Christians as friends; he is a God-fearing man and he has spoken several times against violence and Boko Haram. For the Press to have reported him like that is a disservice. “The party will not join issues with the CAN president, but we crave for understanding. The party chairman never said any such thing.”

But speaking yesterday in Kaduna at the general council meeting of the JNI, the Sultan expressed worry over insecurity in the region which had led to several deaths, stressing that the North had had enough of bloodshed and it must stop.

However, while opening the meeting, Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, expressed optimism that terrorism was coming to an end in the North since the Sultan, a well-respected Nigerian and Muslim leader had taken up the crusade against insecurity in the region. “I have no doubt in my mind that the present leadership of JNI, under the chairmanship of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, will call everyone who matters in our lives and everyone who has a contribution to make to give a new birth to Muslims/non-Muslims relationship in our country,” Yakowa said.

The Sultan urged the Muslim clerics to be firm in addressing the insecurity and kick against those wreaking havoc on the society for selfish interest, adding that Allah would disgrace those who are bent on putting Northerners to shame.

“We must come back to our senses and say firmly and resolutely that enough is enough. The bloodshed must stop; each and every one of us must come to appreciate that we cannot continue on this destructive path. We must open active, meaningful and sincere channels of dialogue and communication to ensure that we listen to those who have real grievances and to genuine efforts to address them.

“But we must as an Ummah also take a resolute stand against those who take advantage of this unfortunate situation to wreak havoc on the society in pursuit of their narrow interests. “Allah (SWT) is never indifferent to the plights of his servants. He will definitely put to shame those who seek to violate the Honour and the sanctity of Muslims. We must at all times seek Allah’s intervention through prayers for there is no calamity or distress that he cannot dispel. “It is also pertinent to point out that traditional and religious leaders must bear a special responsibility in counseling those in position of Authority at the federal, state and local government levels that governance must necessarily be equated with service to the people and the socio economic development of the society.

“As members of this veritable organization, we must not relent in our efforts for the search of peace and security within our society. The current level of insecurity in the northern states is not only a source of worry and concern to all of us but is also slowly, but surely tearing apart the very fabric of our religious, social and economic life,” he said.

-Sunwp_posts