Governor Aregbesola Condemns Boko Haram Attacks

 Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state on Thursday, condemned the senseless killings by the dreaded Boko Haram sect as he said there’s  justification in Islam to back the incessant violent attacks.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola

Governor Aregbesola who said that there is nothing wrong with Jihad but condemned the violent attacks by the Islamist group, Boko Haram made this known while delivering a lecture titled, “Muslims’ response to insurgency threat in Nigeria” at the 6th annual Femi Lateef Okunnu lecture series in  Ile Ife.

According to Punch, Aregbesola, however, rebuked the Boko Haram sect for using Jihad as a justification for their violent attacks saying:

“Jihad should not be turned into a license to unleash terror on people, Muslims and Christians alike and as well as to destabilise the nation.

“Contrary to the claims by groups such as the Boko Haram sect, Jihad is neither a call to arms nor an ideological blueprint for destructive insurgency. Jihad in Islam is at its core about establishing a personal relationship with Allah. The meaning of Jihad in Islam is a total submission to the will and obedience to the laws of Allah.

“Submitting to Allah’s will is an act of conscious choice granted to mankind by God; obeying His laws is a demonstration and vindication of that submission.

“The abused notion of Jihad often used as justification for satanic atrocities of insurgent groups, such as the Boko Haram sect, is a gross misapplication of the concept.

“Jihad is far from being an open cheque for senseless violence, neither is it a Qur’anic endorsement of the pursuit of selfish political desires.

“The concept of Jihad in Islam simply means ‘struggle’ or ‘striving.’ It has two broad dimensions – external and internal striving.”

“If Islam thus forbids violence against innocents, how does Boko Haram justifies the senseless killings, maiming, kidnappings of innocent women, children, and girls?”

Recall recently, Evangelist Elliot Uko, the founder of the Igbo Youth Movement and Deputy Secretary Igbo Leaders of Thought, said Boko Haram is a product of a mindset called Jihad which was initiated after the introduction of Sharia legal code about 14 years by some people.
Meanwhile Prophet Owatunde Samuel, a.k.a. Marshal of CCC Trinity Tabernacle Parish has said: “towards the end of this year there will be no Boko Haram again in Nigeria”.
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