We Didn't Bomb Madalla Church - Boko Haram
Says Christians have a right to worship
By OLAJIDE FASHIKUN, YUSUF OZI-USMAN
The spokesman of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad otherwise called Boko Haram has refuted claims by the media on the recent killings and bombings of churches in Nigeria saying their jihad is not against the Christians and their places of worship. The spokesman, Abul Qaqa , denied the Christmas day bombing and other attacks carried out in the country all in their name. He also denied the statement that they asked Christians to leave the northern part of Nigeria, as even the prophet of Allah lived with non believers and they had the right to worship.
He said they are fighting a just cause as the government have been attacking them and they have the right to defend themselves, alleging that they have only killed security operatives, the police and army in self defence.
He said all Christians in the north should not panic, as Islam prohibits attack in places of worship and it is haram to burn or attack a church even during jihad.
“Our prophet told us, do not attack the innocent, women, children and the old, only fight back in self defence, this the teaching of our prophet and that’s exactly what we are doing,” he said.
He also said as untrue claims that they are going to attack protesters, saying it is false as they are in total support of the peoples’ struggle and behind the Nigerian people.
It was only on Sunday, at a special Armed Forces Remembrance Day service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja that President Goodluck Jonathan revealed that government officials, legislature and security personnel have infiltrated the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
As if laying credence to the denial of the Islamic sect which has been credited with the bombing in the nation in recent times, President Goodluck Jonathan abhorred those who have been raiding some parts of the North with bombs, saying that it is an unpatriotic act and a religious sin to kill fellow citizens and innocent people with bombs in the church in order to express one’s grievances.
“It is not the behaviour of decent people anywhere in the world. Those politicians who justify killings in order to gain cheap political points are unpatriotic to that extent. If anybody has anything to say, he should say it in a way that he will be listened to and his grievances will be addressed.
“But if you think that by going to spray bullets on people, you are pursuing your own agenda and your own end and people should listen to you and in fact they should call you for discussion and some people are backing them and supporting them, it is an unpatriotic act.”
Jonathan also spoke about the danger of corruption which he described as an unpatriotic act.
He observed that corruption takes from both the rich and poor but does not give, just as it does not recognise selflessness that is key to patriotism.
“We call on all Nigerians to practice the act of patriotism. Corruption does not help us. It destroys us,” the president said.
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