Boko Haram

In Nigeria recently, there have been killings in the Northern part of the country by the terrorist group called Boko Haram. The groups have killed civilians, military men in the country. They have kidnapped young girls, set bombs in churches and caused much havoc in Nigeria, giving it a bad reputation around the world, aside from the fraudulent activities it used to be known for.

The thought of some young men going around and killing people, kidnapping young girls is one of the issues in Nigeria I can quite wrap my head around, I ask if these terrorist groups have no conscience, and I have been curious about their motivation, but the same thing is re-echoed to me, "They are looking to build an Islamic empire promised in the Quran". The same thing with ISIS, it sounds like a brainwash by some psychopaths that have his way to teach the youth complete nonsense.

The killing of Christians, or kidnapping of young kids or blowing up parks should not be a pre-requisite to achieve this aim, any god that had whispered these ideas into the Muslim teacher's ears is not worthy of worship, and should be hanged.

The US President Donald Trump has called Islam a radical religion, and the followers are not the enemy of the United States. Muslim scholars and teachers have read the Quran, and have twisted its meanings to the followers, it is either this is the basic reasons for senseless motivations of the killings, or just a bunch of crazies roaming the land.

Growing up in a small community in Lagos state in Nigeria, there is a Muslim preacher called Alfa Akodo, he is well known, and very popular in the Epe axis of Lagos state. He was not popular for healing the sick, or popular for healing the deaf, or popular for his captivating preachings, but instead he was well known for preaching hate messages. Alfa Akodo was a nasty preacher of the Islamic faith, though he is being called a hero and still remembered by the people in the Epe community, but he is not any of this, but a man of low IQ. I have listened to him because he does outdoor outreach especially during Ramadans, and all he talked about his the stupidity of Christians, he attacked different Christian denominations, he would talk about the way they dance, how they bible is misleading, and why a particular denomination won't wear shoes to church. He would attack Christmas celebration and warn his followers to throw away gifts or food shared on this day as it is idol food. He also would warn against wishing Christians "Merry Christmas".

Alfa Akodo does not preach peace of unity in the Epe community, he was a bigot that preaches hate only messages. When Akodo is not talking about Christians and their religion, he attacks the traditional worshippers in the Epe community, a town known for his traditional worshippers and festivals. While the Christian would walk by Akodo, the traditional worshippers warned and reported him. He disobeyed their warnings every time, and would even want to start fighting with them physically. 

Alfa Akodo was killed on March 9, 2003 by traditionalist who won't take anymore of his deadly messages and attacks on their religion and members.

When normal people want segregation from their country, they call for a referendum, when ISIS wanted to leave Syria, he went into rebellion. And the way to recruit armies to help him fight his Islamic fantasy country is confuse young Muslims that Allah wants them to create their own country, a country with Islamic rule of law, and freedom. He called it Jihad, and a promise of 99 virgins to Muslims that dies on the battlefield fighting for Jihad. His God failed him already, and he is wanted by different military officials and will face the wrath of law if caught, or suffer same fate like Osama Bin-Laden.

I have tried to listen to different Muslim teachings in the past to be able to understand what is being taught in that world, at some point, I had picked a preacher I often listened to, and he went on to attack Christianity, dedicating another 30mins, using words like "Kafir" to describe Christians, and he told his followers Kafir will die, and Muslims should be happy they are in a good religion, and will be saved during the last days.

I stopped listening to his man, but what happened to the young boys and girls that continues to listen to this man, and his attack on Christians?

Boko Haram

A group started by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002. When the group was created, there is definitely some teaching he had said about the government or Christians, because one of the goals of the group was to make sure children don't go to school, because they believed school is a sin that will teach kids the way of the Western world, and not teach them how to kidnap, rape or kill people. When security officials get to know about the plans of Yusuf, he was arrested and would later die in Prison. When the leader of the group was killed by the police due to increasing radicalisation in the country by his followers, power was transferred to Abubakar Shekau, leading the group that killed around 6,600 people in 2014. 2.3 Million has been displaced in the Boko Haram conflicts, and over 250,000 people have fled the country due to the violence in the Northern part of the country.

It has shown that the only thing Yusuf was teaching his followers was "an eye for an eye". If a death of a man killed 6,600 people alone in 2014, and also kidnapped 276 school girls that were later married away to their followers. These are girls that are under 18 years old writing their School Certification Exam.

The Shiites

There has been reports about the government treatment of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky in the media, with some calling for the release of Ibrahim to his followers. Instead, the Nigerian Army has not reply any of the calls, and had instead battle with the followers of Ibrahim which led to the killing of 348 Shiites in 2015.

Who is Ibrahim Zakzaky? He is a man that was well known for his harsh comment on the Nigerian system. He had called the Nigerian army and policemen different names, and had asked that is followers in one of his videos which was in the Hausa language to kill any military personnel that wanders into their area of worship or near him, he asked for their trucks to be blown apart. Zakzaky and his followers do not believe in Nigeria, they also do not vote or follow laws in Nigeria, they have pledged allegiance to the brotherhood in Iran, and have received donation from Iran.

Iran was also the only country that had sent word to the Nigerian government to release Zakzaky from prosecution, though the pleas went on deaf ears.

The fast response from the current government is to prevent a coming together of another Islamic radicals like Boko-haram into the country, a re-occurrence of the Boko-haram menance.

Random Islamic Preacher

Why Abubakar Shekau and Zakzaky might have made it to the news, what about preachers like Alfa Akodo, also some preachers in different communities with hate speech. A recent tweet by Rere Ayodele(@therereayodele) is a sample of this. The Muslim Association Of Nigeria, ibadan had invited young children on Christmas day to camp just to lure them away from celebrating Christmas. 

Read the tweets and you can come up with your judgement.

Solution

1 -The government will need to step up in eradicating the hate preachers from the Nigerian society. Though, allowing the government to interfere with religion in a country might seems far-fetched in a democracy, but in my opinion in curbing the senseless uprising of hate preachers, a little help from government or putting together government body that will stamp out the hate preachers is necessary.

2- The Nigerian government will need to run a campaign that will reach the hearts of Muslims in Nigeria to call their leader into the sensible world, or report to the nearest police with evidence of any preacher calling for the bombing and killing of others because they are not part of a particular religion.

3- Thorough investigations needs to be conducted that will help block foreign government of groups that donates to the cause of groups that preach hate or disobeyed the government of a country, while pledging allegiance to foreign government.

4- Islamic group  leaders and organisation that does not align with the sermons of these preachers should call them to order, because when the issues becomes rampant, everybody will be affected, including the good and good leaders.

Nigeria:  Ahmad Salkida, An investigative journalist with that was called during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan to see to the release of the Chibok girls from Boko Haram has just tweeted about the current girls of the Chibok girls that were abducted by the men of the deadly group Boko Haram.

Ahmad also reveals that the girls can no longer be released to the government because the leader of the terrorist cell, Abubakar Shekau had gave the girl's hand in marriage to different Boko Haram members, and no longer have a say anymore about who is released or who is not.

Read the well detailed tweet of Ahmad below;

1/ Four years ago, a middle ranking BH commander led dozens of fighters in search of food and other supplies in the remote town of Chibok, like an afterthought, they saw a chance to abduct school girls in GSS Chibok, the girls at the time were preparing for their exams.

2/ The dozens of BH fighters faced no opposition during the abductn, as they struggled to convey their captives to the forest of Alagarno, the insurgent's first war capital, which they named Timbuktu. It was in Timbuktu that they organised most of the horror we experience today.

3/ Some of the girls were lucky to have escaped on their way to Timbuktu that night, because there were fewer fighters to hold more than 200 girls. At the beginning, the group didn't know what to do with the girls, at least, not in the first one month of their captivity.

4/ However, what many people did not know was that two weeks into the abduction, the Jonathan administration was already in touch with me for the peaceful release of the girls. By the way, I was in self-exile after pressure from the same Govt..

5/ I took an excuse where I was doing a menial job in the UAE (but still reporting the insurgency), to see the president, which was facilitated by Aliyu Gebi and Labaran Maku. By the 3rd of May, I was already on my way from Abuja to Madagali, Marwa and finally to a BH camp.

6/ I got a proof of life for the president and another for the media in case I didn't get back. The demands of BH then were simple, they wanted detained members taken to Damaturu and they will move the girls to Buniyardi for swap somewhere in between. There was no word on ransom

7/ I was provided with full military escorts frm Abj to Damaturu, Govt was supposed to make sure that 70 detainees were ready on my arrival in Damaturu to meet 30 there. The rest of the negotiating team was in Abj making sure the prisoners were on a plane before my arrival...

8/ On arrival in Damaturu, the military commander there was not briefed about my work. He was merely told to expect a VIP? At that time, the girls have been moved by BH, but there was no prisoners for exchange and I got a call from the former CDS to abort the operation.

9/ The president later said before me that he did not call off the swap. There was a credible window, but zero Will to rescue the girls. BH were angry. I returned to the UAE to continue my hustle, but received invitatns not only by the former administratn, but the current govt.

10/ 4 out of 5 process that I was involved in, we came close to a swap deal, but Govt in most instances did not provide the platform I presented with the required expertise. And whenever Govt dragged its feet, Shekau will shift the goal post.

11/ I continued my reporting on the crisis, often critical of govt & BH, with both sides raising concerns. For me, I am a reporter before anything else, many officials consider me as somebody who was too independent minded for a process that needs to be shrouded in secrecy.

12/ Govt began to look for alternatives to conclude what I've started & my former couriers stepped in as the primary 'negotiators.' It was a break for me bcz it is no longer negotiations, but mere transaction. Another reason was my insistence that the process must be domesticated

13/ I was a prickle in the flesh of our leadrs wt my counter claims of official narratives. A day after I exclusivly released a video of the girls, something I'v done in the past, I was declared wanted by same military tht provided me wt escorts, military aircraft for assignmnts

14/ I was amazed to learn later that the terms that saw the release of some of the girls was unfavourable than what I presented, but as my friend will say, even if we come up with a cure for cancer, the war economy and elites would rather die than accept a cure from a talaka.

15/ Today, my painstaking investigations on the #Chibokschoolgirls revealed that just a handful of the 113 #ChibokGirls are alive. Many of the girls have died as a result of cross fires and bombardments of the security forces that no doubt were intent on rescuing them.

16/ I regret to state here that only 15 out of the 113 #Chibokgirls are alive today, based on my investigations in the last 3 months and we have already seen some of them in a video, which I exclusively obtained and was published on SR website.

17/ What is the status of the remaining 15 girls as far as negotiations are concerned? My investigations also revealed that, they are no longer under the control of #AbubakarShekau. According to sources, they are now 'married' and only their 'husbands' can decide their fates.

18/ If they are divorced or the men are killed that is when Shekau's decision takes precedence, and in this instance, since the girls have been indoctrinated, their leader has no right to negotiate for their release, no matter the ransom offered, reliable multiple sources said.

19/ It will be unbearable to share the names of the 15 that are alive here, this is the responsibility of Govt. When I was involved I regularly provided proof of life. Govt must demand that to prove me wrong or stop negotiating for many of the girls that don't exists... 

20/ The secrecy around the condition of the #ChibokGirls and most recent #DapchiGirls debacle by those involved is the reason people like me are out of the picture. The fact remains that under the present circumstances there is NO room for peace settlement.

21/ The way out for these girls, is a military rescue or negotiate wt individual captors to release their 'wives' in return for some kind of deal, but this will mean death to these fighters bcz the terror group now sees the girls as part of their own and must be protected.

22/ How comes there is little or no information about the girls and both the parents and campaigners are in the dark? Because, Govt resist independent reporting of the crisis, most of the reports are choreographed & Nigerians are also not ready to hear the truth or stand by it.

23/ Reporting the #LakeChadCrisis is not just a job for me, Borno is my home, this crisis has affected me too. I'v invested 13yrs of my 18yrs journalism career to follow this story in a way no reporter or researcher has done, hence my knowledge of this crisis can't be dismissed.

24/ I'v risked my life and that of my family in the past and even now, not only to tell the story, but to play the role of a mediator and fact finder. But as soon as the FG found alternatives, my sacrifices got an official ridicule and I am being hounded.

25/ I hold no other intention of doing this than the need to stir a debate to demand more insights and bring closure to the parents. The nation must not fail you from rescuing your daughters and also fail to tell you the truth. 

Boko Haram terrorist group operating in Nigeria are not ready to release the Chibok girls that they kidnapped from their dorm on 14 April 2014. The terrorist group has now appointed Barrister Aisha Wakil, also known as Mama Bokoharam as their negotiator with the Nigeria government.

Speaking with IBTimes UK, Aisha said that a request confirming her appointment as negotiator of the release and a request have been forwarded to the government, and also an audio has also been released by the insurgent camp confirming that Aisha would be their negotiator.

Aisha Wakil said;

I want total surrender of the boys [Boko haram]. I want them rehabilitated counseled, properly directed, and forgiveness from people. Then we move on.

You know the release of Chibok girls and other captives are paramount. You also know that some of them are married with kids, sad but manageable. Let them come out and have a new life, homes. Once the boys will keep their stand on peace, dislodge all negative forces, we will be swimming in peace and joy.

The spokesperson for Aisha Wakil, Prince Lawal Shoyode said;

There are three Boko Haram factions at the moment and all of them have requested to be represented by Barrister Aisha, He added the first thing that will be negotiated is the release of the Chibok girls.

Last September, the Presidency was ready to give freedom to detain Boko Haram boys in exchange for the Chibok girls' freedom, but because there were different factions of Boko Haram, it makes it difficult for the government to negotiate with the sect.

At least 218 of the Chibk girls are still missing, as some of the girls recently escaped from the Boko Haram camps.

As much as you probably hate the headline for this article, you probably won't disagree the very fact that the word "Islam" has got nothing on anybody than the fact that it is the next word to "terrorism". Oh wait!!! before you get it all jacked up, we all going to learn today, this is an article that will tell all of us to move on with it.

It was a Monday morning at the school hall meeting, just a week after the September 11 attack on the US, and I remembered the young, but agile principal of my college come forward and talk to us about the norms of the week, and he asked us a question, which probably turned me into a star in the school. "Who can tell me the trending topic right now in the world," while a lot of grown-ups were looking like Santa dummy, I stepped forward, and i said " Osama Bin Laden bombed the world trade centre, and left thousands of people dead", I was around 13-14 years at this time. The man went ahead and ask me what I thought of this act, and i told him immediately that Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist, and probably because that was what is religion taught him, I was immediately booed by the Islam teachers in the school, but the principal gave me $3 that day, and with my $1 my mother had gave me, now i have $4, thats a lot of food for the day.

Growing up, I will later hear about series of attacks upon attacks and one thing that the people who carry out the attack always say is "Allabu Akbar". Though, this is might be Arabian word, but it is also an Islamic phrase for "God is Great".

Let me be clear here, I have no problem with Islam, In fact, I love Muslims, my best friend are both Muslims/Christians, they are family to me, the reason why this article is coming up is that sometimes we need to accept the fact that we are in a religion that always carry out an act that is not in the Quran, some preachers in Islam have twisted the Quran to suit their own selfish purpose, I have not seen any sane person that will build something and ask people to go ahead and destroy it. How can God create you, and then ask you to go ahead and kill people like you?

God, we have all come to believe is a all powerful God, he is the one that can do all things in a second. Do you think this same God will tell you to go ahead and blow up people on his behalf, when he could just say "Now die", and that person will seize breathing, or when he can just send plaque to the world, just like he did for Egypt during Pharaoh days.

It breaks my heart when i see Muslims trying to revive the image of Islam after the terrorist attacks, No, don't do that...We know you are not a terrorist, we know there are good people within Islam, the bad eggs just seem to have more population, and Insha Allahu, all will be better soon.

Religion was supposed to be a simple law guiding the way we live a simple and better lifestyle, and should not be shoved down anybody's throat. But people have decided to clinch to religion to blow up government buildings, churches, kill people.

Go to Kenya, they have Al-Shabab, a Muslim group that kills people for their own personal reasons, they want a caliphate. Go to Nigeria, you see Boko Haram, they keep killing soldiers and innocent civilians and raping young girls, God does not give anybody go ahead to kill people or kidnap girls for amything, this is their own doing.

Islam is a religion of peace, transparency, love and was never for terrorism. And my open letter to Muslims out there, stop fighting to educate people about this fact, because it will be an everyday thing and you cannot keep up to educating people.

Islam is synonymous with terrorism, and maybe in 5 years time, that will change, but as far as ISIS is still on, Al-Shabab is killing Kenyans and Boko Haram is killing Nigerians, and ISIS affiliates are kidnapping tourists in  the Phillipines for a ransom, Islam will still be a religion of violence and terrorism.

The media, CNN, BBC, Fox news will kill Islam, but nobody can destroy what God create, all deaths from media, it will only make it rise stronger, so when there is an attack in Paris, UK, USA, Nigeria or Kenya, stop running to Twitter to tell the world Islam is a religion of peace.

The truth is if I see a man with a beard comes into a bus where I am sitting and we all traveling together, if he stands up on the pretence of going to the toilet, we all are going to that toilet, even if I i tell you Islam is a religion of peace, so far i see that he is a Muslim. Don't go to the street to tell people to hug you, it proves nothing. If you shout Allahu Akbar, they will all run to different directions.

Lets all pray for the people using the religion to stain others that God calls them to himself quickly, and we should not support bad preachers, let report them to the government. Any preacher in the mosque not telling you about loving your neighbours as yourself, care for other people, but keep talking about how government is maltreating you, and why you should rise to government, then report such individual to the government, he is probably recruiting for terrorism.

Remember the Paris attacks, remember San Bernardino, just few hours ago, another man, muslim stabbed 3 people in London tube station.

Reporters were allowed access into the home of the #SanBernadino shooters, and talked about how their homes look like, and the only thing Muslims on Twitter could do was go on social media to display items in their house, and tweet that they are not terrorist. Is that the next line of action? Have you mourned the death of the 14 people killed? Have you sympathised with their family? Who cares about you not being terrorist, a man has just acted on your religion behalf, either he was right or wrong, lets focus on the important thing here. You are not a terrorist, but don't fight it.

That is life, remember when an African-American walks into a store with a hoodie, he is automatically a criminal, security men still follow me around stylishly when i buy groceries at the store next door, and i have been buying things there for 7 months..Beat that!!!

The Department of State Services(DSS) has foiled an attack by the Boko Haram sect to blow up Dolphin estate in Ikoyi, Lagos. The DSS also arrested 45 members of Boko Haram in connection to the failed attack.

The members of the terrorist group were arrested in September and were all charged to a Lagos State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Isolo on Friday, and they were all remanded in Kirikiri prison in Lagos state.

The DSS operatives told the court that the men have agreed to confessional statement and arms were also recovered from them. The DSS asked that the men be remanded in prison as investigations continues, and the court agreed that the men be kept in Kirikiri prison.

Names of the suspects arrested and currently remanded in prison are:

 Abuyi Sheriff, Babagana Ali, Abass Ibrahim, Abubaka Grema, Kabiri Ibrahim, Mustaph Mohammed, Usman Mohammed, Modu Amsami, Isa Agafi, Adamu Jebili and Saja Kamba.

Also among them were: Abba Sagoma, Mallam Buchu, Abdul-Kareem Abba, Babagana Koloye, Usman Buka, Adamu Mohammed, Lawal Mohammed, Tela Abana, Mustapha Mohammed, Isa Agafi, Belo Modu, Kachala Babagana, Modu Abu and Alhaji Modu Mustapha.

The magistrates have said that his name not to be mentioned to the press for security reasons.

The affidavit present to the court shows how the DSS intercepted the suspects and how they were all arrested in different locations in the state. Some of the areas the sect members were arrested includes; Kara, Isheri Berger area; Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Alimosho area; Ijora Badia, Apapa area; and Ebute-Meta in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area.

The sect had pledged alliance to the notorious terrorist group in the middle-east, ISIS, and killed hundred of Nigerians on Friday.