Nigerian Army said insurgency and violent extremism is one of the greatest challenges against the existence of peace and progress of the country.
Brigadier General Shehu Garba Mustapha, Director Islamic affairs, Nigerian Army made the disclosure Thursday at a one day seminar with a theme “countering insurgency and violent extremism in Nigeria through authentic religious enlightenment held in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.
“The directorate of chaplain service, which comprises of Directorate of chaplain and Islamic affairs of Nigerian army are in the forefront of enlightening the general populace on the danger of violent extremism and its consequences,” he said.
He further said the seminar was aimed at producing narrative to defeat the wrong ideologies used by leaders of the terrorists and insurgent groups to recruit their followers.
Declaring the seminar open, Governor Mai Mala Buni, represented by the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Baba Malam Wali, thanked the Chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai for the thoughtfulness initiative in organising the seminar.
He said the convening of this seminar in Damaturu by Nigeria army was a welcome development which could not have come at a better time than now.
“Boko Haram as stated by president Mohammadu Buhari are mindless, goalless, group who are far away from Islam. Boko Haram and group like them have nothing to do with Islam nor does Islam has anything to do with them,” the governor said.
Buni therefore called for support of all religious leaders and their effective sensitisation and mobilisation towards defeating the wrong impressions and ideologies used by the leaders of the insurgents to recruit and indoctrinate gullible followers to their fold.
Papers were presented by Barrister Ahmed Mohammed Abdulkadir from University of Maiduguru, Rev Dr. Emmanuel Morris Difa, among other clerics within and outside Yobe state.
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