How Islam, media can defeat Boko Haram –retired CP

A retired Commissioner of Police, Olayinka Bashir Balogun, has said that the Muslims and the media have a vital role to play in the ongoing efforts to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency.

Balogun, who is also a personal assistant to the Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith IGP (rtd), said this Sunday in Abuja at the grand finale of activities marking the 16th anniversary of the Al-Habibbiyah Islamic Society (AIS).

According to him, the anti-Boko Haram efforts is more than the war for all Nigerians alone, but more for Muslims and the  media to do one thing or the other to won the war.

“The war on Boko Haram is for all of us, but in truth it is more of a war against Islam and Muslims because it is our image, name and honour that are at stake. We must therefore, be at the forefront in fighting this war. Our first weapon is education, to know and be convinced that the perpetrators of this evil are not part of us and not Muslims….

“We must appeal to our media, especially those who still use the appellation, Islamic sect, to describe terrorists, to desist from that practice. Whoever belongs as an individual or a member of a group that boast that it can kill, destroy and disturb societal peace cannot qualify as a Muslim,” Balogun said while delivering his paper titled “Leadership, Security and Governance in Islam”.

He said good leadership was vital to addressing the security challenges in the country and urged Nigerians to live together in peace and support the government in addressing security challenges in the country.

Also, the Managing Director of Comerel Travels -Nigeria, Ustaz Abubakr Siddeeq Muhammad, who spoke on “Evolving purposeful leadership through corruption free elections”, urged electorate to vote credible leaders at all levels in the forthcoming 2019 General Elections to fast track national development.

According to him, it is important to elect leaders with the fear of God and passion to develop the country and that the electorate should vote for leaders based on their capabilities and not their political party, religion or ethnic consideration.

“We should strive to vote for credible leaders at all levels in the forthcoming general elections. We should avoid voting for our leaders based on their political parties like we witnessed in 2015,” he said.

While urging INEC, security agencies and the media to be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties during the elections, he also charged politicians against using the youths to to destabilize the country during and after the elections.

On his part, the National Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Imam Adeyemi Fuad, said the organisation through its various programmes had been promoting peace, education and national development.