Boko Haram is Un-Islamic, Says Assemblyman

To Abdulbaq Ladi Balogun, a Muslim and lawmaker representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, western Nigeria, the terrorist group, Boko Haram, plaguing the country are not Muslims. They have only succeeded in hiding under the religion just to denigrate it.

Speaking in an interview on the activities of the group, Balogun quoted chapters of the Quran to back his argument.

“I am a Muslim,” he said. “Let us go to the word of God. He told Prophet Muhammed that he should tell his followers that there is no compulsion in religion, that unbelievers, especially, those who worship elephants or idols, have their own religions and they should be allowed to practise their religions in the way they want.

“He told them: If you practise your own and tell them my revelations, those who want to listen would listen and those who want to go astray should be allowed to go astray.

“It is the word of God Himself, not even that of Prophet Muhammed. It means don’t impose your religion on anybody, you can only advise them or talk to them, but do not force any religion on them.

“Allah said He created the people, He knows what they would be and where they would end their journey. So, who are you to judge or force anybody to do anything?

“It is also said in the Quran that ‘I abhor shedding of blood of an animal, let alone that of a human being. What is Jihad? Jihad in Islam is you are waging war against immorality in the society, against unbelievers, not by carrying arms, and if I come to you and tell you these are the reasons you should do certain things, by way of preaching, it is just to get the mind of the people, not by killing.

“Jihad does not mean killing. Allah did not say you should wage war by carrying weapons or bombing. He said, do not take a soul because you cannot create one.

“What Boko Haram members are doing is un-Islamic, it is not allowed by Allah, it was not preached by Prophet Muhammed. We only follow Quran, which is the word of God, and also have Hadit, there is no place, where it is stated that you can kill.”

The lawmaker further pointed out that terrorism in the country was primarily caused by poverty. I want you to do a research or study on the causes of terrorism in Nigeria. What we call poverty here is nothing compared to poverty in the northern part of the country.

“Go to motor parks in Kaduna, Sokoto or Kafancha. As you are alighting from the bus, you would see matured men and women with their plates begging for food, begging for alms.

“They give them ready made tools to indoctrinate them, they give them food, the Chibok girls are being fed by Boko Haram members. Boko Haram members are being funded and armed.

Balogun  said he would never support the establishment of Almajiri Schools in the north aimed to mop up children on the streets to ensure that they have western education, but encouraged the strengthening of normal public schools and free education for the children.