Why Insecurity Thrives In The North – Islamic Scholars

Muslim leaders in the North yesterday blamed the insecurity in the region on lack of sound knowledge, effective leadership and social irresponsibility.

They appealed to members of the Boko Haram sect to accept the amnesty offer.

In a communiqué at the end of a conference on the role of Muslim scholars in fostering unity, peace and security organised by the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), they blamed government for not prosecuting those found to have perpetrated violence in the country.

The communiqué, signed by the Chairman of the Communique Drafting Committee, Prof. S. Junaidu and the Secretary-General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, condemned the increasing cases of corruption in the country, urging the government to address the issues.

The communiqué reads: “The prevailing security challenges are partly as a result of the individual and collective inability of the Ulama to stand up to their responsibility in terms of teaching and disseminating sound knowledge and giving effective leadership.

“That government’s refusal to institute judicial process of inquiry or prosecution as the case may be, against people arrested and are accused of perpetrating violence is an abdication of cardinal leadership responsibility that smacks of insensitivity in governance.

“That since unity of Muslims is a cardinal obligation, the Conference implored the scholars to uphold, foster and promote it and that scholars must stand up to their rightful position as heirs of the Prophet to shun vices and tread the path of piety and righteousness in order to discharge their obligation of guiding the Ummah duly and effectively, especially as it pertains to the issue of unity.”

It added that Muslim scholars must uphold the principle of mutual fairness, clemency, tolerance, love and respect towards one another to promote unity.

It said since national security was a necessity for all and sundry, every Nigerian must take the sustenance of peace and tranquility as a duty.

The leaders observed that Muslim scholars should buckle up in their efforts at educating the general public on the tenets of Islam, inculcating moral uprightness, and in providing effective community-based leadership and social responsibility.

They added: “That the lessons of the life and times of the Sokoto Caliphate leaders and the rich intellectual legacy they left behind pertaining to unity, peace and security must be studied explored and utilized for the purpose of engendering and promoting harmonious co-existence in the country.

“That leaders should stop patronising rapacious and pseudo scholars, if at all they have sincerity of purpose in governance.

“That as evidence of good governance, government at all levels should lead in fighting the endemic corruption in the country by strictly upholding the rule of law against the perpetrators and promoters of that national scourge.

“That the three tiers of governments in the country should be alive to their responsibilities by facilitating conducive economic atmosphere for youth employment and by providing social amenities and infrastructural facilities as a guarantee for people’s welfare and comfort.

“That government should protect the rights of its people with a great sense of equity and justice to all for the purpose of entrenching peaceful coexistence and inter-religious harmony in the country according to Nigerian law. In any case, the rule of law must be upheld and respected.

“That the government can curtail youthful restiveness only by addressing the problems of unemployment, drug abuse, sexual perversion, indiscipline and undue radicalization of any type.”

They called for the trial of anybody found culpable of perpetrating violence and aggression against peace loving Nigerians .

It urged the insurgents to tread the path of peace and accept the dialogue as offered by the Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the North.

“That to promote sound knowledge and moral and character training among the youth, the government must make religious education compulsory in the education system, especially at the primary and secondary levels,” it said.