Bashir Ahmad, the former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed his dismay over the perceived silence of Islamic scholars regarding the escalating issue of banditry in various parts of Northern Nigeria.
The Northern region, particularly the North West, has been grappling with persistent attacks orchestrated by organized criminal groups engaged in extensive cattle theft, sexual violence, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and armed robbery.
Read also: How banditry, terrorism in northern Nigeria can be tackled – Zulum
Ahmad, voicing his concerns, stated that he finds it perplexing that Islamic scholars have not been outspoken in denouncing any perceived connection between Islam and the activities of these bandits. He emphasized that the actions of these criminal elements are not in line with the teachings of Islam and asserted that they have caused harm predominantly to Muslims and Hausas.
Highlighting the geographical scope of these attacks in states such as Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger, Ahmad, in a statement, underscored the need for Islamic scholars to vocally condemn the actions of the bandits. He argued that the absence of strong condemnation may inadvertently lead to the misconception that the heinous acts of banditry are somehow linked to Islam.
Ahmad went further to clarify that the actions of these bandits should be unequivocally recognized as acts of terrorism, emphasizing that they do not represent Islam or the broader community. He called for collective recognition of these individuals as terrorists and urged the public to dissociate their activities from the Islamic faith.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
