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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Discourse 346: The Christian Answer to Boko Haram

Discourse 346
By Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

The Christian Answer to Boko Haram

Last Sunday, the attention of the nation was drawn to the killings of innocent Nigerian Muslims, including unsuspecting travellers on the Kaduna-Abuja Highway, by Christians as a reprisal attack to Boko Haram bombings of churches in Kaduna and Zaria. A number of Mosques and shops were also burnt that Sunday in Christian-dominated neighbourhoods in the southern part of the city. In all the attacks, as at the last offical count, has killed 21 Christians, while the reprisals killed 29 Muslims and hundreds werreinsured. As a result, I will pause my series on Kano to say a word about the matter.

Before we continue, however, I have a confession to make. Writing on matters of religion in Nigeria and especially where lives and places of worship are involved is very difficult for commentators that would like to remain impartial. So many times, as we try it, a writer finds it difficult to walk the tight rope of objectivity, balance and reason. Yet, the mettle of a writer is not tested by his treatment of populist topics or points of view but by how delicately he handles tough issues with equanimiyt and fearlessness. In the midst of high tension and soaring tempers, a voice of reason, even if faint, is most welcome.

The fact that a group of Muslims in the name of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lil Da’awati wal Jihad – popularly known as Boko Haram - has been attacking churches in Northern Nigeria is a settled one. Its leader, Malam Abubakar Shekau, has twice featured on YouTube claiming its responsibility, and so does his spokesperson, Abu Qaqa, in the aftermath of many such attacks. The fact that there are Christians found involved in church bombing activities – and there are many reported and unreported cases – or in supporting Boko Haram as I once wrote on this page does not renounce the confession of Boko Haram; it only complicates our analytical equation by introducing more variables and, thus, making it less linear than most of us would wish.

Targeting churches and Christians with bombings by Boko Haram is a matter that has saddened every well meaning Muslim and Christian in this country. Attacking worshipers is not only un-Islamic but also cheap. The command of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to his companions on this is clear. A Muslim must not have a better model on religion than him. Demolition a place of worship is an act of fasad – or corruption of the world, as clearly stated in Suratul Hajj, ironically in the very verse that the leader of the group quoted in his first video to justify its resort to arms, though he did not complete it.

A worshipper is a guest of God. When a delegation of Christians once paid a visit to the Prophet in Medina, he not only camped them in his mosque but also asked them to use it for their worship. That is how the sanctity of worshippers and their place of worship became a settled issue among Muslims of various sects. That is why destruction of churches are hard to find in Muslim history. Muslims have left churches and even idols in Jerusalem, Syria, Europe, Egypt and Asia intact to date. The Taliban that destroyed the idol of Buddha in Afghanistan a decade and half ago was widely condemned by Muslim scholars across the world.

I am yet to come across a Nigerian Muslim – a scholar or a layman like me - that approves of the demolition of churches and attack on worshippers. That was how the first claim by Boko Haram came to the Muslim community as a great shockand shame. Of course, Muslim rioters have burnt churches before and they continue to do so, just as Christians also burn mosques when there are unrests. The difference is in organization. Those are acts of mobs. The ones of Boko Haram are organized operations of a sect that claims to be waging a holy warfor Islam, for God. But what is its justification, if we may ask?

Fortunately, the group is unequivocal on its reasons. It seeks to legitimise such operations based on the principle of retaliation. It is true, as it says repeatedly, that Muslims in the past twenty years became targets of barbarous attacks by some Christians in areas where the latter dominates. The examples of Kafanchan, Tafawa Balewa, Zangon Kataf, Kaduna, Plateau and Zonkwa cannot be denied. It is not the barbarity of such attacks that worries Muslims most, however but how Christians get away with the crimes so easily. Many accuse the Christian dominated security and law enforcement agencies of complicity.

It is difficult to recall any substantial prosecution or even arrest of Christians in all these despite the presence of hardcore evidence, including videos, in the hands of security agencies and the general public. The most recent of them are the attack on Muslims on Eid ground in Jos and the cannibalization of their bodies in the presence of law enforcement personnel and that of how Muslim villagers were massacred in Southern Kaduna during the post election violence, both in 2011. On the other hand, the violent reactions of Muslims to these atrocities are greeted by severe punishments by tribunals, courts and law enforcement agents that play the prosecution and the judge at the same time. From Karibi-whyte tribunal of 1987 to the latest arrests on the Plateau, it is Muslims who consistently receive the butt.

It is this selective justice and indifference of Nigerian authorities to Muslim blood, property and dignity that gives Boko Haram the pretext to retaliate on Christians. But here too, the group is wrong. No doubt, God has permitted the Prophet to retaliate against the polytheists of Arabia who transgressed against Muslims for over a dcade. In issuing that permit, however, God was specific about the target and the proportion of the retaliation:

“Whoever transgresses against you, transgress (in return) against him in proportion to his transgression against you, and know that God is with those who fear Him (i.e. those who follow his command without retaliating beyond the proportion of the offence they received). (Chapter Baqarah)

In another verse He said,

“And fight those who fight you and do not transgress (beyond the proportion that you were attacked with). God doesn’t like those who transgress.” (Chapter Baqarah again)

This is equal to the principle of proportionality in international law.

The interpretation of Boko Haram that every Nigerian Christian bears the burden of the crime that another Christian committed is absolutely untenable Islam:

“And no soul would bear the burden of another soul…” (Chapter Fatir)

Therefore, the actions of Boko Haram on these matters do not conform with the provisions of the Qur’an. Throughout his life, the Prophet of Islam was specific in punishing those who wronged Muslims on the few occasions he could not forgive them. For example, he never generalized punishment on the polytheists of Arabia then. When he was fighting those of Mecca, he was fighting those of Mecca alone. Neither did he treat the different tribes of Jews and Christians then in Arabia as one. He treated each on its own merit, befriending them except those who proved hostile to Islam. This is the provision against collective punishment in international law, again.

In the same manner, even if we were to accord amargin for retaliation, which I will discount later in the discussion, we must accept that Nigerian Christians cannot be treated as one organic collection of murderers that deserve a carpet treatment of bombs and bullets. In this case, the task is even made easier because the communities where these atrocities are perpetrated are known; so are the names and pictures of people who committed the crimes.

Why would Boko Haram then target innocent worshippers for God’s sake? Why not go for the criminals specifically? If it would avenge the cannibalization of Muslims on the Eid grounds of Rukuba for example, let the it obtain the video, take the pain of identifying the attackers and go after them with a surgical precision. Why then attack a cheap target of Christian worshippers in Gombe or Kaduna and leave those in Zonkwa or Rukuba? Come on. This is not Islam.

I remember the fatwa once given by Sheikh Salisu Abubakar Suntalma of Ahmadu Bello University during the Kafanchan crisis of 1987. He said, agreed that innocent Muslims were killed in Kafanchan, it does not warrant any Muslim to attack any church or Christian in Kaduna or Zaria. If you can find the culprits in Kafanchan and attack them, you may have a point, he said. Islam does not sanction attacking an innocent person, he concluded. During the same episode, Ibrahim Zakzaky expressed the same view. (Ironically, the Karibi-Whyte tribunal that was set up on the crisis jailed Zakzaky for five years, despite his opposition.) It is difficult to come across any scholar, leader or informed person in Islam that holds a contrary view.

So, though Boko Haram is in every sense right to become worried about the impunity with which some Christians commit barbaric actions against Muslims and go unpunished by the Nigerian authorities, the group misfired in its answer to situation even from the perspective of Islam. The Muslim community in Nigeria has repeated this objection times without number. This is not to mention the group’s lack of locus standi even from the Islamic perspective since in Islam only the judge can order the killing of a criminal if so ordained by the law.

By way of summary, if I were to grade the script of Boko Haram here, I would give it minus one (-1).

Now let us turn to our Christian brothers. The answer of some Christians in some Northern communities is, sad to note, a mirror reflection of that of Boko Haram. They too have collectivised Nigerian Muslims, as Boko Haram generalized Nigerian Christians, and made their blood and property targets of their retaliation. If Boko Haram has attacked a church, what stops the Christians from identifying Boko Haram, if they need to, and deal with them?

I question the need because the Christians have the mighty Nigerian security, law enforcement and military apparatus behind them, at their disposal, if we go by the sacred-cow treatment they enjoy from them. Why then resort to killing innocent travellers, burning mosques and shops? So if Boko Haram is wrong in attacking innocent worshippers and churches, what makes the attack by Christian fanatics on innocent Muslim travellers and burning their mosques legitimate? This is the wrong answer to the challenge of Boko Haram.

It is also wrong from the point of view of practicality. In how many communities are such Christians fanatics ready to barricade the highway and cowardly kill innocent Muslims? In how many states or communities in the North can they do it? Honestly, I see that possibility only in Plateau and Kaduna, in the very communities where those atrocities against Muslims have been repeatedly committed due to ethnic reasons and where there are state governors who would mastermind their protection from the law. (I was once told Yakowa is married to Jang’s sister but now I have confirmed that it is not true. The two only share the same local government of origin, Jaba. Yakowa's wife actually has her ancestry in Tafawa Balewa, in my state of Bauchi. I apologize for the inaccurate information I earlier published on this blog about the two sisters of mine.)

Man is a rational animal though he sometimes behaves stupidly at sub-human level especially when propelled by the spur of religion. Normally, he calculates his degree of safety before taking any risk on his life. Few are the fools that would dare start a fire that would consume them. Even in Kaduna State, why did not the Christian reprisal attack take place in Kaduna North or Zaria?

So, I grade the Christian answer script as minus one (-1), too.

When we add up the two, we end up with -2, two failures in the two negative quadrants of the Nigerian security equation. This is worse than where we were without either or both of them. That is where we are today. The fact is that retaliation could only serve as a deterrent for a short while. It often produces a vicious cycle of violence. Christians in some communities carry out war crimes against Muslims. Boko Haram says it retaliates but under the hidden tactic of bombings. Then Christians retaliate in areas they too think Muslims are weak. Both do it against innocent citizens, against places of worship, against God, though purportedly in the name of God.

This circle of cowardice can continue forever except we find a way to cancel the negatives and arrive at a positive digit. And to this we turn in the remaining part of the essay.

Christian leaders and opinion shapers have appealed to Muslim leaders to use their weight to restrain Boko Haram. But sincerely, which citizen would restrain any Nigerian that carries arms today? There is none. In the same vein, I have heard many Berom leaders saying that their youths are beyond their control. When some chiefs of Niger Delta tried to stop its militants from terrorist activities in the mid-nineties, the youths accused them of complicity and murdered them. Righ now, Nigeria has a high deficit of willing martyrs among its leaders.

The truth is that when it comes to violence, the answer lies with the law and nothing else. The law it is that can cancel those negatives. It is the instrument that stripped all citizens of the right to possess firearms. If people had the right to protect themselves adequately, some of these atrocities would not be committed. (Though think about it honestly: if all of us would possess arms, it will be 160million guns and billions of ammunitions. How would there be peace? We would be facing another form of instability.) However, in most contemporary states, the law has entrusted the security of lives and property to the state. In Nigeria, keeping that trust has been in the decline for decades now. Unless we are interested in replacing the state with anarchy, we must rise to strengthen the law.

Strengthening the law means using it appropriately as an arbiter when injustice is perpetrated and getting the right people to enforce it, whenever possible. Muslims, as I have maintained, should, in the absence of any interest to bring the criminals that have been perpetrating crimes against them to justice locally, refer the matter to the International Court of Justice. They must be prepared to walk the ladder to its top. Armed with hard evidence like the ones we mentioned earlier, it is inconceivable that they will not be offered justice there. So the question of their retaliation is cancelled, ab initio.

Christians on their part must also resort to the law and support it. They must ensure that the law enforcement agencies that they control have risen to the challenge. They must also be patient with them until they succeed without complicating matters through retaliation. The current President is their making. They boasted of supporting him to victory during the last elections. In his hands lie the keys to our peace. He is the commander-in-chief. They must get him to act appropriately. Making a President is the beginning, not the end, of his service.

I will be dishonest to say that the government is doing nothing about Boko Haram. Achievements are recorded daily, albeit not enough to see us through completely yet. But when the President’s primary constituency dismisses him and resorts to taking the law into its hands by killing innocent travellers, I would think he has a problem at hand. He should not claim to be helpless, as he has often expressed in church services. He is not Moses. And we are not the Children of Israel on the bank of the Red Sea. Appealing to God without working hard maximally will only embolden the agents of destabilization. He must yield the stick as well as the carrot to both Boko Haram and his Christian counterparts in Plateau and Kaduna. Only this democratic distribution of justice would finally bring peace to our nation.

Ordinary citizens like me who have a voice must come out and speak boldly. The Christians have often emphasized that there is not enough voice of condemnation heard among Muslims. True. But that has to do more with the lack of protection from the government for those who would dare to do so. Man is a rational animal. Again, our dear Goodluck comes into the equation.

The Christians, on their part, often forget that they have been most economical with their voice against acts of sectarian violence. It is very hard, very rare, and very unusual to hear a Christian voice – a leader or opinion shaper – condemning the atrocities committed by his fellow Christians against Muslims, except Sam Nda-Isaiah of course, which mbay Christian fanatics say he is with Muslims. I cannot remember even a few, specifically directed at Christians. The best I would hear, if I am lucky on those rare occasions, are general statements condemning violence and calling for peace.

Has any Christian leader called for the prosecution of the massacres in Zonkwa or other villages of southern Kaduna of recent, for example? No. Have Nigerians heard the voice of any pastor on his pulpit condemning the Christians that attacked Muslims in Eid ground, roasted their bodies on vehicle bonnets and ate them in the presence of security agents? No. And so was it with every occasion of violence, including the latest killings on the Kaduna – Abuja Highway. What we only hear is the expression of shock, but not a single call for arrest. As usual, none is arrested and none will be arrested, anyway. There was never a time when any Christian cleric or traditional ruler even admitted that his people were at fault. The closest we heard was the recent statements by our Rev. Hassan Mathew Kukah. The videos are there. Let them join us in calling for the prosecution of the culprits. The truth, I must tell my Christian brothers, is that Nigeria cannot clap with one hand.

There are many other ways we can express our voice to garner support for peace though. For example, someone online has suggested mass rallies for peace across Northern Nigeria. Yes. I have seen the federal government and politicians rent crowds to show their solidarity for a cause or a candidate. Why cannot the president go beyond the pulpit and march across the road to the Eagle Square for the sake of peace? Why would not state governments summon all their ulama and priests and their followers to a peace rally in the largest public square of their states? These guys enjoy free largesse to Hajj, Umra Jerusalem and Rome. This is the time to ask for a pay back. Ehe now! Let us reassure the world with the pictures of oceans of peace loving Nigerians on international television screen. It will refute the notion that majority of Nigerians are murderers. It will also tell the agents of destabilization how insignificant they are in our midst.

As for the other forces that are interested for various reasons in aggravating the conflict in Northern Nigeria – those within the region and beyond – I wI'll say that it is our negligence that has given the allowance for the expression of their nefarious interests, using Boko Haram and Christian groups. The people of Northern Nigeria, and those of other regions, will continue to remain where they are, each in his own domain. In the North particularly, God has enriched us with diversity. It is a blessing, not a curse. And so shall we remain together long after the guns of Boko Haram and those of Christian fanatics are put to silence.

Bauchi,
19 June 2012

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sir, It is an informative and I belive a fair way of looking at the current issue. Sir, may you note the following statement in paragraph 4 "A Muslim must to have a better model on religion than him" is this a typing error or what? a question or what? Thanks

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the wonderfull thought.May Allah guide and protect us all.

Anonymous said...

May Allah SWT reward you for this. It is fair and objective.

Anonymous said...

As usual, Dr. Tilde has dazzled us with this excellent write up. Every human being should read this. This is so beautiful. We the kind permission I wish to publish this on my blog.

Anonymous said...

As usual, Dr. Tilde has dazzled us with this excellent write up. Every human being should read this. This is so beautiful. We the kind permission I wish to publish this on my blog.

Anonymous said...

Please Dr dont be fool by the video footage of shekau and qaqa. These are work of enemy of Islam waging psycological war on islam.
Secondly the modus operandi of these carnage shows a strong western style i.e CIA and MOSSAD

Aliyu Dange said...

A thought-provoking and strictly-neutral piece!

Husaini Shittu Jos,. said...

Thank you once again Dr for coming up with this nice and objective piece,as the Hausas saying goes;"makaho bai san kana ganin shi ba sai ka taka shi",..cos all the attrotices cimmmited by xtians fanatics against the muslims were been legimised by their slince as the case is between the farmer and fowl,.

Unknown said...

Thank you Dr for the wonderful job, very thoughful of you. Accurate, brief and precise. My Allah increase you in knowledge and wisdom.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

@naijainfoman. Go ahead. Publish it. It is a pleasure.

Anonymous said...

Tilde, more power to your elbow ! I hope Nigerians would be objective enough to reason with you.

Anonymous said...

What an objective assessment! May Allah continue 2 guide and protect you. Amen.

Anonymous said...

You have spoken the truth and you have fulfilled your obligation, may Allah guide you.

Kabiru pappa elleman said...

May the almight ALLAH uncover those that have had perpetrated these evils from both side of the faith

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this wonderful work.I wish JANG and Yakpwa will read this

Anonymous said...

Dr well meaning Nigerians like you should be awarded not the corrupted, and the issue of Boko Haram is clear subversion to Islam, either by western or inner and nothing to add, and also isnt all muslims that says "Boko is Haram" including myself "Boko is Halal" meaning is good even according to Islam. So why should xtians killed innocent muslims ????????. Sir i also have the interest of publishing to other people to read, so to be on the same page with us. Thanks

Anonymous said...

An objective analysis....Thank you.

Anonymous said...

The most unfortunate thing is the the so called Elites or Educated men in this country ( Nigeria ) most especially from the North keep talking tough or fat in terms of the Happenings in the Northern part of Nigeria and/or using deceptive measures and languages about the Evil Acts and Actions of muslims against their christian brothers. Well my dear Dr, My candid advice is that No body should Ever go to the Market to throw a stone because you never can tell who that stone will hit on the fore head. It could be the Mother/Father of the person who threw the stone.

Anonymous said...

Another theory is to implement the threat that Hausa/Fulani at southern Kaduna were given a week to leave.

Anonymous said...

The Doc that i know, rare among his contemporaries.
Thanks for the wonderful piece.

Anonymous said...

I'm a child of barely 15yrs, Sir i must say, I am really impressed, you are truly blessed, you've said it all. Knowing that we still have people like you in this country gives me joy. May Allah continue to give you the courage & wisdom to speak for our country. (Amen)

jidda said...

Thank you for your boldness. For refusing to be complacent.

abdullahi abubakar yahaya said...

Sir, I'm most humbled, what an indebt analysis and thought provoking submission? I pray it arrest the minds of the power that be, just as it dwelled on me. May Allah SWT increase you in knowledge and Wisdom in driving home the home truth.

haruna wakili said...

Truth does not seek any adornment,nor the sweet voice of any praise-singer.Dr. and the likes,season of a true democracy(greater than systems).May your days be long with this broad spectrum of excellence.

adamu said...

Please this should be carried by all the National dailies for more to see.

Mahmood Dalhat said...

Thank you for this objective analysis. Its a matter of time. The perpetrators of these heinous acts can not produce enough lies to cover them.

chima amadi said...

Dr Tilde, let me start by openly confessing an existing bias against you arising from some exceptions I take at your earlier writings on your weekly column in one of our national daily newspapers. However, I must say that you have won me over with this very bold attempt at situating the madness that has threatened to consume the last vestiges of reason and rationality in our land . I must say that though I noticed a salient slant away from pure objectivity , your opening lines alluding to the difficulty of being totally objective in issues bothering on religion is accepted as proof of your being mortal and therefore fallible but I must not fail to raise a few posers.
Your analysis tended to suggest that Christians controlled the instruments of coercion as represented by the state and I wonder how u arrived at this conclusion. Did u conduct any survey of the religious leanings of every member of the security personnel in this country to reach that conclusion? The last time I checked ethnicity and religious background as tools for demographic analysis were expunged from the survey sheets during the last census in our country. If your conclusion was drawn from the fact that a "christian" is now the c-in-c pls note that some of the atrocities you highlighted were meted out to Muslims under the leadership of a Muslim c-in-c.
Dr, can I ask if you have evidence of the prosecution of individuals who callously beheaded akalauka and publicly displayed his head in kano on trumped up allegations of desecrating the Islamic holy book? I remember that a "christian" (note the perenthesis pls " was president then . May I also remind you that the infamous kano reinhard bonnie mayhem in 1991 which witnessed the mindless slaughtering of so many Christians was done at the height of the military hegemony largely dominated by Muslims with no single person prosecuted by the junta then .
My point is, the ruling elite know no religion but the one that serves their selfish interests. It does not matter the religion that they profess, all they want is to continue to divide us along the identified fault lines while they continue their spree of corruption . Unfortunately, the gullible masses keep falling for this trick over and over again . I am delighted that voices like yours are speaking up but since most people like you who are clearly in the majority don't have access to the mainstream media , am afraid that it may be drowned in the hate spewing cacophony of commentaries constantly being dished out by agents of those who benefit from the statusquo .
Chima Amadi
08036887509

Anonymous said...

Wonderful writeup, bt pls note this that the Jos crisis was initially reported as a Berom/hausa fulani problem (not a christian/hausa), why then should cannibalism be ascribed now to christianity? You also failed to report the many provocation in christian worship areas, the Niger massacre, the BUK massacre, the Gombe massacre, the bauchi massacre, the Zaria & kaduna massacres, etc, where children , professors etc where cowardly killed.I may not want to go into other atrocities & other to justify reprissal action, bt I imagine certain truth shldn't be distorted.the issues of biase in security function was greatly fabricated in your writeup to tilt to your unobjectivity thus discrediting ur brilliant writeup.

Anonymous said...

Written for The benefits of only muslims! A clearly hate discourse against christians. When u don't support their spokesman Tilde, after review, Your comment doesn't get published.

Unknown said...

This is a brilliant exposition.Like we say in Hausa-ka bugi jaki ka bugi taiki.This is must read for President Jonathan right now even in far away Brazil,all the ministers,National and State assemblies,Governors and indeed all meaning Nigerians.Kai kukan kurciya ma jawabi ne.

Yusuf Muhammad Tukur Illo said...

What a classic piece!
I‘m short of words to commend your effort Dr Tilde,
May Allah bless you abundantly and increase you in knowledge.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

@Chima Amadi. The nine Muslims, suspects were arrested and extra-judiciously killed, except one, by the Kano authorities during the governorship of Col. Abdullahi Wase. The ninth escaped from the scene of their massacre that night. Since then, CAN was satisfied and never raised the matter again. That was how it died. You see what I said In the article? At Kaduna-Abuja junction, a Muslim soldier in uniform was reported slaughtered last Sunday but nobody is arrested. Nigeria cannot clap with one hand Chima. Let authorities be even handed and let us the citizens accept facts not propaganda even when speak against us. That will create the environment of love that will allow us to live in peace and prosper.

And Thank you for your compliments sir. At least I have earned your admiration with this article, though as you said I failed to do so in previous ones.

Odimma.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

@Anonymous. This blog doesnt publish abusive comments or those that have the potential of diverting readers to discussing rubbish as is often found on the Internet. However, objections that are reasonably argued and aimed at improving the quality of discussion and the common good of all Nigerians are always welcome even if they are contrary to the opinion I express.

Unknown said...

Sir I agree with you we can not clap with only one hand. In any other society killing their soldier in uniform will be treated like waging war against the government and no matter how long it takes the perpetrator(s) will be fished out. Gwanin Gora community of Kaduna has experience it before but may be the "comfort zone" they are in now makes them forget.
A beutifull write up, hope all will read without bias in their minds.

Anonymous said...

Dis is a blog for muslims. Wonder why I was refered here. Pls do ur thing. So biased. Little wonder u don't post all comments except those dt promote u. Objective writer indeed, good write up ko.muslim writer /blogger.

Anonymous said...

Welldone, sir. A well thought-out, balanced an d informed piece. You are a credit to your society. May Allah Ta'ala enable you to always stand up for the truth as this article clearly shows. I appeal to my fellow Nigerians who are of the christian faith to try and take agood,objective look at this situation. You can't use the same brush to paint a whole community with which you would an isolated sect. Any person bent on mischief can twist God's Words for his/her purpose and take it out of context, for instance Hitler,the Ku Klux Klan and even as justification for enslaving a whole race. May Allah watch over us all, ameen.

Mr Abubakar said...

Boko Haram is not more in existence since 2009. But some are using the remaining Boko Haram members and some christians to achieve their AGENDA in bringing NORTHERN NIGERIA down and creating religion crisis. This is very clear that there is an agent using both Muslims and christian to fulfill their mission. So pls GOVERNMENT should act rapidly if not I can conclude that they are the Agent behind what is happening in Nigeria. Why is it only North? If Boko haram is really fighting government, SOUTH is also a part of Nigeria and they have access to go and BOMB or KIL if they want , but why is only North. Pls My good people of Nigeria, lets think twice.

Anonymous said...

Dr,Tilde. excellent write up,but some of your allegation of bais against muslims by security agencies aren't new,cause I ve also read of cases where muslim committed crimes under their watch and go scot free.But I share your opinion that this maddness must stop.its up to us to correct this error of the 2011 elections in 2015.

Anonymous said...

Jazakallahu Khairan Dr, for this informative and Objective analysis.
Coming to the issue of Claiming responsibility for bombing which is always attributed to BOKO HARAM, up till now I've never seen any Convincing evidence that it is BOKO HARAM who claims the responsibility, it seems there is a hidden hand behind it.
How can we categorically assert that it is boko haram who call or send emails to claim responsibility?
even the clips posted on youtube can be easily forgerd in this age of Computer.
May Allah The Almighty Forgive us our sins and make our nation a better place.

Anonymous said...

THE INCESSANT CHURCH BOMBINGS AND MY THESES(Kaduna: the powder keg)

You know I got some theses on the perpetrators. Do scheme through and air your views.

1. Unscrupulous, corrupt and ruthless
external government affiliate who hope to cash in on our blood bath. The Christians then ask: why is it that not a single mosque is bombed if that is the idea and I say, that is because the bombing of a mosque will spark off a quick religious conflict that will reach it's climax when both xtians and Muslims realised they have been staged up to wipe emselves. Is that not what they want: a conflict? Yes a conflict is what they want but one that will live longer than our generation not one that will flare up and die off so quickly. Think about it this way: keep hitting xtians in churches; you know xtians hardly react so keep hitting em until they develop the kind of belly necessary to ferment our master plan: killing Muslims in retaliation. Once Muslims become targets; the stage is set for a long show down, long enough to guarantee our assistance being sought for.
The conclusion to this thesis is that the perpetrators hinged completely their success on the reaction of Christians on the incessant bombings.

THE PROBLEMS

1). Some unscrupulous and lousy persons, who wrongly identify emselves as Muslims(because true Muslims are not thus inclined) celebrate the mass cold blooded murder of xtians under the guise of retribution and vengeance of earlier killings by xtians. These sort of myopic minded Muslims are the sell out necessary to clinch this thesis. Why? The master minders can always use boko haram to appeal to the shallow minds of these sort of Muslims by claiming it's a retaliation against xtians.

2). Christians may react against innocent Muslims which will serve as a trigger that will shoot off the bullet of this thesis.

3). Muslims may fight back as a measure for self defence and thus, the propagation of a full scale war along religious lines.

THE FAILURES

1). Goodluck, who remains lame, crippled and lost in the face of total annihilation. His government is a massive failure. He has the apparatus of state at his disposal, yet he remains helpless.

2) Opposition parties keeping mute and celebrating the inefficacy of the days government instead of making the right moves to checkmate the excesses of this madness.

3). Shallow headed xtians and Muslims who failed to see what's coming and rather engage in shifting blames.

I shall present the rest of these theses soon.

Anonymous said...

The doctors arguments are logical and I respect em. The doctor spoke about trying not to be bias, yet finds himself in the sea of prejudice in the following areas:

1). He mentioned Jos Eid killings without mentioning Madalla bombing of innocent xtians in cold blood, which, as they claimed, was a retaliation against jos Eid killings. Much as I abhor the barbarism of the berom youths, the Dr. Should have balanced the scales by bringing a parallel.

2). The reprisals by sabo boys on innocent Muslims is bad as it is but the Dr. Shouldn't have resorted to giving figures of 21 xtians against 29 Muslims; or is the doctor opining that 21 against 21 is fair enough? More so, there were series of multiple bombings of churches earlier that was not greeted with retaliations. The series of bomb attacks in jos on churches, after that, these continued in Bauchi, Kano, Yobe, Adamawa and today Kaduna. The doctor should have sum up all these victims against the 29 victims of the reprisal attacks and then, there may be some justice in his summision.

3). The doctor displayed a very good knowledge on human psychology with analysis on why Christians cannot attack Muslims or Muslims, christians in their respective strongholds, yet expect the Christians who were constantly under siege from bokoharam bombs to find time outside their grieves and sympathise with Muslims on much earlier killings of Muslims which the doctor himself knows is psychologically impossible. Very few good Muslims show solidarity to the xtians; what you get is a kind of celebration among some renegade Muslims when some kind of John Odiah will be staged up for arrest with em screaming, CHRISTIANS ARE KILLING CHRISTIANS!!! Case closed. Similar events occur as time went by. The funny thing with such Muslims who fancy xtians killing xtians theory is the fact that they are always disappointed when Bokoharam claim responsibilities.

4). The doctor's conclusion on the armed forces being dominated by and sympathised with Christians is based on faulty assumptions since there was not a viable premises to warrant such conclusions. The doctor must not forget that the armed forces was and is somewhat still dominated by Muslims. The truth however is that Muslim soldiers and officers are disciplined and are not in habit of siding with disorderliness that fanatics may fancy in the name of fighting a lesser jihad when the greater jihad is in dire need of sustenance. These Muslim soldiers are somewhat bias with other soldiers but maintain that espiri de corp. Except ofcourse the doctor wants mutiny in the Army, he won't even hint at this angle. When Muslim soldiers were in charge of the country, can any of these radicals cough? And I can assure you that should Muslim officers take over the country, they emselves will flush out the haramites and all other extremists. You will not hear of a single church burnt. Who gave the order for soldiers to be evacuated before the bomb blast in Zaria? Lately a soldier was bemoaning the bias treatment he and others are getting from their biased Muslim CO. With the above, I will expect the doctor to rearrange his opinion of the armed forces.

5). Lastly, the doctor opined that we will remain long after bokoharam bombs and Christian fanatics subside. This is a mighty presumption from the noble doctor. What the doctor and many like him cannot see is that, this conflict may outlive our generation and perhaps others as well.

I am not siding with xtians; no no no no. I am bringing out facts and punching holes in the noble doctor's superior argument. My position on these whole thing can be clearly seen in one of my theses on Nigeria's Prevailing Situation
G. C. G. Makeri

Unknown said...

Dr, I am a new member in this blog. Infact I found this discourse 346 very interesting. I hope that whoever reds thi do so with an opened and unbiased mind in order to draw logical conclusion. Please, what is the frequency of coming up withis discourse? Is it weekly or monthly? I hope you will pray for me to be a good writer like, Dr. Thanks.

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

@Abdullahi ABUBAKAR Yahaya
Sorry the postings on this blog are irregular, though they are frequent enough to keep you busy. I write as a hobby. The best way to always know a posting is made is to sign up or follow it using your email or I enrol you on my mailing list. The places to sign up or follow the blog by email are given below the top right corner of the blog.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Lets seriously take the mass peace protest approach to demonstrate our love for peace & oneness.

Anonymous said...

Thanks 4 this objective analysis.d honourables in the country n other stake holders,ds coutry is ours,let us salvage it

Abuhanifah said...

Once again you have dared the devil. You have fulfilled your responsibility and have taken the burden away from individuals of like minds which I belong.
I have never seen any justification for killing innocent and unsuspecting human beings under the guise of revenge.
Places of woprship shall forever remain sacred. So, the BokoHarams and those that disguise as one should know we as Nigerians are aware they are acting Scripts. May Allah continue to bless you for us. May we be saved.

Anonymous said...

May almighty creator, bless u 4 your boldness. This is nothing but the truth

Anonymous said...

My God! If only the islamist in this country can join hands to condemn this BH will may be moving forward rather u tend to fall for their tricks. This people have devised a new means but for me I am too inteligent to be fooled. This people most recently since this year started releasing names of masterminders. Staging people to be caught pay them since they know they will be bailed out "let all them be non Muslim names so it can result to religious crises and attention will be pulled away from us" I got that am not a fool. How come all the none Muslims are christains. After all we have on forms Muslim, christains and others. Why are those others neveer mentioned. After all I have about 6 friends who fall under others. War is a terrible thing if you think you will continue to be hiding under sentiment until war breaks out am sorry for u guys and me we may all be killed. No offence pls to my Islamic brothers but with all my 20years of staying in the Islamic communities I realised that thheir is a lot of brain wash that have taking place to d detriment of the less educated ones. But I still keep telling my friends d non Muslims that they are still very good unbiased and violent unoriented ones who God will continue to bless. Whether u believe it or not no CHRISTAIN will ever set fire on a church talk less of during worship just as no Muslim will do that to a mosque. So think my bros and sis I rest my case

Anonymous said...

Dear Dr,
Can the link between BH and their victims not be broken? I meandevising other strategies like mopping empty metal tins out of circulation. Discuoraging sales of similar items even if people would be given incentives. The governments top down approach is clearly not working. Is govtincapable of thinking ahead of the gruop? It clearly beats my imagination honestly?

Precious said...

When u say President Jonathan's presidency is a making of Christians, remind us how many Muslim states he lost in. That single statement disqualifies everything you've said. You've pleaded for people to be irrational, but your whole write up isn't, its obvious which side your on, the side of the Muslims. Placing blame on this side or that won't make change anything, what may have started out as a Muslim religious sect called 'Boko Haram' is now a terrorist sect habouring both Christians and Muslims, it has been taken over with one aim, to cause trouble in the North and make us rise against ourselves, neighbor against neighbor, so far Kaduna and Yobe are in, if there is turmoil in the North for the next three years, little wonder how elections in 2015 will turn out. We need to preach peace not look for who to blame. And the government and law enforcement agencies won't give it to us, we have to find it individually, if we attempt to hold anybody more responsible than the other, we only make it worse. We have to forgive and make peace and build our states, we cannot afford to be more backward than we already are, and the blaming and fighting and revenge only takes us back. The presidency obviously has very little interest in cracking Boko Haram, else they could do better. God be with us all.

sadiya Datti said...

Very imformative, unbiased analysis. A most read for all nigerian's!!! My husband was almost a victim of reprisal attack last sunday... But to God be the glory he was rescued by a christian yoruba elderly woman. Its so unbelievable we r all northerners and still killing ourselves. So sad

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

My Christian brothers who try to pick holes in my arguments are only denying my statements, not rebutting them with facts, like, say, telling us a single instance where any Christian leader that came out to condemn the atrocities of some of his fellow Christians that I mentioned, heinous and barbaric as they were.

CAN in particular is ever ready to beat the drums of war. Just two days ago, the CAN chairman in Southeat announced that 6,000 Boko haramites were sent with poison to kill Christians in each zone in the south. And the Vanguard published his lies. Imagine! Is this a devil or a religious leader?

Some of them here are again denying that Christians are involved in any atrocity or the bombings despite incidents in which Christians were arrested in the act. Some of them live just some few meters from here. This is like the Muslims who deny that Boko Haram are not Muslims. Those that admit say the Christians are lured into it with money by Muslims.

This is the problem. Unless a patient accepts he is sick, he may not head in the direction of medication. So far, the press, dominated by Christians, has consistently painted Muslims as the culprits in every event and the Christian community believes so or is happy with it. This is not helpful.

Unknown said...

People like you Dr.Tilde are very few in the society indeed.May Almighty Allah continue to bless with you with more wisdom and may Allah restore peace within the North,Nigeria and Globally

Anonymous said...

Dr, i'm highly impressed by this piece and the like. U've really done justice humanly possible. However, the issue of boko haram is really confusing, is the sense that ,their statements sounds unislamic, especially the latest (we instructed to fight women and children) i saw in one of wave side of indi - igbo, sent as bulk mailer to igbos.atributated to Abu qaqa

Anonymous said...

Dr, Now that the US Administration has listed 3 members of the BH on the terror list but without the BH itself,and the Secretary General of the Council for Islamic affairs of Nigeria was quick to say his dislike for this action, what do you in an objective view say to this?

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde said...

Boko Haram hasn't said it will start milking women and children of the general public. They are referring to the families of law enforcement agents. The misrepresentation on the Ndigbo website is typical of Biafrans who since the end of the war have done everything possible to paint northerners in the darkest colour as well as create division between the people in the region. In this, they are readily supported by the Igbo press. It is unfortunate.

nomso said...

Tell me how the protest for Sharia caused the massacre of Christians in 2000 in Sabo, Kaduna, with the Igbos being the most hit? Christians started this too? Am not a fan of Christians at all, but Kaduna and Zaria Muslims are dysfunctional! I don't know for Jos because I have never lived there, but for KD? Mr. Man from Bauchi you are wrong! I served in Borno and during that time Boko Haram was just being born...there ideology was not retaliation! It was opposition to Western Education! This recent tag of retaliation is too new to be true! But retaliation has never being their primary objective! In Gwoza, we were regularly flying to Bama Barracks at the slightest 'provocation' of Muslims. You punish a male student, he tells you the Koran says 'ladies cannot punish men'. You insist and tells 'him shut up', he says you are telling Allah to shut up? 1, 2 the news breaks out that someone has turned 'Allah's words'...we take to our heels straight to Bama! You throw a book with Arabic writings used for cheating away or take it aggressively, they announce you have desecrated the Koran! No difference with the Afghanistans and America saga! I saw enough Mr. Man, and Muslims are dysfunctional too in Borno! Your argument of retaliation has more pores than a kitchen sponge!

Okay, your claim that Christian leaders never admonish people not to revenge is far from the truth! not a Christian but while Islam advocates retaliation, Christianity responds by accepting persecution. Rev. Ayo does not know what Christ teaches when he advocated retaliation! Hear the sermons being preached in the Churches before you talk! In the Jumat Mosque in Kwata, Zaria, what I hear every Friday is retaliation is justified and Christians are infidels for believing in Christ as the Son of God! The strong Military presence of the Nigerian Barracks kept Zaria and not cultured Muslims! What stops the new Muslim leaders from issuing a fatwa? Fatwa of 1989? If they are too quick to condemn evil then they should issue a fatwa! Why dilly-dally? Because Christians retaliated? It is Christians that made Jonathan rig his elections and so the Youth corpers 'destiny' was to die in that clash? Killing innocent Christians on a polling station was also retaliation? When you cannot thread the path of objectivity then don't write! Israel attacks Palestine, Christians suffer in the North! America burns Koran, Christians are killed! A slight provocation of muslims is made in the middle east...churches are burnt as result of retaliation and you say the Christians are the aggressors? Mr. you are biased or

Anonymous said...

Dr Tilde Jesus loves you repent and come to him and he will give you rest. you seriously need Jesus in your life. i pray that God will open your eyes to see the truth.

Anonymous said...

This article, with all due respect Sir, is a farce, capable of further inciting people from the North and South/ Christians and Muslims to war.

Anonymous said...

Actually, the statement reads “A Muslim must not have a better model on religion than him. ” and “him” in the sentence refers to the prophet Muhammad(SAW) not the individual person.

Anonymous said...

Dr Tilde repent because Jesus loves you......

Anonymous said...

While i'l nt dismis all d arguments raised by Dr Tilde, what baffles me much is our ruling elites have succeeded in dividing us along religious/ethnics lines particularly in northern nigeria. While they are comfortably looting our commenwealth, we're busy killing ourselves. The major people dat i'l blame here are muslim ulamas, dis ppl they knw dat justice and fairnes is what is needed in leadershp but dey are bought away by politicians to campaign 4 dem in mosques. As shehu usman fodio said a nation can endure justice even under infidel but cant withtand injustice even under a righteous believer. Our ruling elites (both muslims n xtians)they go n do all attrocities in d nyt(chasing women, cultism, looting our treasury etc)but in d morning we support dem n even kill ourslves 4 dis same ppl. Nigeria is doomed as long as we're nt ready to accept justice n fairnes.

Anonymous said...

No matter what we do or say, we can never justify evil deeds,especially before the true and Almighty God.

Dr. Garba Saleh Ahmad said...

Dr., it becomes apparent by all the comments posted in connection with this discourse that most Nigerians have already contacted the contageous killer ailment - hatred. Because, contributions from both sides takes the form of: Egg or Chicken - which come from which?
To me, it seems most Nigerians do not know, or have forgotten that "From God Almighty we all come(everybody and everything) and surely to Him we will all go back; to harvest what we planted in this world".

June 29, 2012

ahmed ibrahi said...

I pray may Allah Ta ala gives more good health and more wisdom to continue to write and educate the people. congratulations .

Unknown said...

Dr. I expected more frm u but u should knw u are very biased. U mention the eld killings but was silent over the xmas attacks but then as one frm that area u must agree that the bauchi xtains dont enjoy a quater of wat muslims in jos do. U even had a muslim seneator in jos but bauchi has all 3 muslims. Are there no xtains indigines in kano, katsina, kebbi and other northern states? Wat rights are they given there that even xtains programmes are not aired on state media.
The kaduna issue u pointed out is so fautly. Dont u hv records of xtains massacres frm '87 to 92 when xtians decided to defend themselves? Find out hw many xtains ve been killed frm zaria, mararaban jos, mando, kawo,u/rimi, etc all these yrs. Are u telling us that u are not aware that d chairman of tanker drivers was arrested with truck loads of guns and was later set free on bail. So xtains ve no right to self defence else u can help us explain why the southern kd crisis started after an unusual cal to prayers in a mosque right in the emir's palace. The emir himself on state tv acknwldgd that but said he doesnt knw those that did it. Muslims attacked imdtly after dat cal wit all sorts of guns our youth had to regroup to defend thmslvs and u are nw shouting genocide.
U talk of killings along abj rd without mention'n the ones along jos rd, kano rd and old lagos rd (mando) whc are predominatly muslim settlmnts. We still cant act for a large no of students killed alng zaria rd that monday b4 the curfew. Did I mention the massacre killing and raping of xtain students in nuhu bamali poly by muslim whc no writer has dare to mention wen talkn abt zonkwa? Mayb xtains hv no blood.
The ploy of using xtain names to attach to bombns is nw old fashioned. If u are not aware the comm. of police in kd tried a staunt that bck fired wen he cald a press con to anounce the apprehnsn of 9 bomb suspects in kd after d blast. He refused to mention names bt mischieviously mentnd d name of d igbo gas seller who had no conectn to d crime n wen press he said let me gv u 1 name frm the other side and nw said mech eng'r daudu wen askd for the full name he got angry n sent every 1 away. WHO IS DECIEVING WHO??

Anonymous said...

I wish you could come-up with an article that will critically look into this terror group called "BOKOHARAM" and condemn in totality its activities and disassociate Islam from them.Redeem the name of your religion because Bokoharam has given it a bad name instead of you dwelling much on reprisal.thank you.

Anonymous said...

Who is fooling who here d muslim o d christian?