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Written by James Bwala, Leon Usigbe and Isaac Shobayo
Thursday, 21 July 2011
THE outlawed Islamic group, Boko Haram, which has been terrorising Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, has split into two, with the Yusufiyya Islamic Movement (YIM), condemning the attacks and bombings of residences and places of worship by the other faction of Islamic sect that claimed to be fighting a Jihad in the North.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the split of the Boko Haram was contained in a two-page unsigned leaflets distributed on Tuesday to the various wards, Post Office Area and media houses in Maiduguri.
The leaflets read in part: “The Yusufiyya Movement has come to mean different things to different people in the last few months. This confusion and misinterpretation have made it necessary for us to come out publicly with the clear truth with regard to our concept, struggle, aim and ultimate objective,” stating that, “its declaration would guide in distinguishing the Yusufiyya movement from the various labels ascribed to us, as the Boko Haram.
“This is necessary in the light of genuine concern by individuals and groups to the mass suffering of innocent citizens caught in the crossfire between our members and the Nigerian troops. This concern has again brought to the fore, the daunting issue of reconciliation through dialogue with the Nigerian authorities and individual leaders involved in the naked abuse of our birthright to the peaceful propagation and practice of our religion as we understand it.”
This misunderstanding, according to the statement, led to the killing of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, and the destruction and confiscation of its landed and moveable property in Maiduguri. The group, therefore, resolved to wage a struggle between justice and injustice, between truth and falsehood, right against wrong, in which the sect was sure of victory.
The statement, however, noted that the public must know that the Yusufiyya Islamic sect is far from the image of the heartless terrorists, arsonists or sadistic robbers painted by other people with a distinct agenda. “It is, therefore, unbecoming to attribute attacks on the civilian population or places of worship to our group, the Yusufiyya Islamic Sect.” While reiterating the factions in Boko Haram, the statement further explained that; “ours is a clear fight for the blood of our founder, Mohammed Yusuf, and other leaders who were slain in cold blood.
“We, therefore, distance our group from all the bombings targeted at civilians and other establishments and equally condemn them and pray that Allah expose those who perpetrated them and attributed them to us.
“We are concerned that some people with evil motives have infiltrated our genuine struggle with a false holy war that is outright un-Islamic. We call this evil group to desist, failing which we shall have no option but to expose and hunt them. Finally, we have resolved to temporarily halt our fight against the assassination of our leaders in compliance with the prohibition of fighting in the holy month of Ramadan.”
The Joint Security Task Force (JTF) spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan Mohammed, confirmed the release and distribution of the leaflets on the Boko Haram factions and temporary ceasefire in Borno State.
According to him, “The JTF is on top of the security situation in Borno State. The factions being created in the Boko Haram sect and the temporary ceasefire from the Yusuffiyya Islamic sect could bring peace and the restoration of law and order by nipping all acts of terrorism by the other factions of Boko Haram sect.”
Speaking on the alleged excesses of soldiers in fighting terrorism and other acts of violence, Mohammed said: “We are here in Borno to restore law and order and not to intimidate or harass any resident of the affected wards in Maiduguri metropolis.”
He said terrorism was the enemy of the entire world, including the killings and bombings of Maiduguri residents and their places of worship, adding that if the people could not live in peace without the protection of their life and property, soldiers would not have a place or relevance in any democratically run country, like Nigeria, as Nigerian soldiers, according to him, were learned and civilised professionals that were in Borno State to protect the life and property of the people.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, held consultations with northern leaders over the activities of the Boko Haram Islamic sect at the end of which they resolved that it would be premature to withdraw the military from Borno State.
Those who met with the president in House Seven of the Presidential Villa, Abuja included Borno elders, North-East Elders and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led by its Board of Trustees chairman, General Jerry Useni.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim; Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke; Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin; National Security Adviser (NSA), General Owoeye Azazi; the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, and the Minister of State for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Bukar Tijjani.
Prominent Borno personalities at the meeting were Senator Ali Ndume, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; Ambassador Usman Galtimari; Bulawa Maligubio, Senator Ma'aji Lawal, Bunu Sheriff; Muhammad Goni; Brigadier-General Abba Kyari, Ambassador Hamza Yarima and Ahmed Gazali.
According to the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meeting, the military would remain in the trouble spot while its authorities would deal with individual cases of excesses by its personnel.
He said: “There were broad-based consultations about the outcry for the withdrawal of the military. But in the light of this discussion, the meeting generally agreed that it is premature to withdraw the military.
“What was needed was that if there are cases of individual misbehaviour by members of the Joint Task Force, the authorities will look into those cases.
“And right now, we know one or two soldiers who were found to have done things in excess are being questioned by the relevant authorities,” he said.
Maku said the meeting was broadly attended by political leaders, saying that “it explored different options, consulted widely on what we can do together to bring about peace and security in Borno State and other affected areas.”
Furthermore, the government’s spokesman stressed the need for all hands to be on deck, saying that political leaders, community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders must work together to find a lasting solution to the problem.
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