The National General Secretary of the
Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr. Musa Asake, in this interview with Punch said
that the former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, should be arrested and
questioned for his alleged link with the Boko Haram sect
The Christian Association of Nigeria
recently called for the arrest of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari because of his recent
criticism of the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, and the
clamp down on the Boko Haram sect. Does CAN think Buhari’s statement is enough
to link him to the violent sect?
Buhari said killing Boko Haram
members and destroying their houses was unjust. My question is did he say
anything about the victims of the activities of Boko Haram? The answer is no.
That is why we believe that that statement is a clear indication that he has
connections with them and he is trying to defend them. As a former head of
state, someone who has experience, who is not ignorant, it is strange that he
is trying to compare Boko Haram with Niger Delta militants. Niger Delta
militants were fighting a cause that we all know. Niger Delta militants were
not fighting a religious war. They were not throwing bombs at innocent
citizens. They were not targeting any group of people, like Christians in the
course of fighting their cause. So, how can a leader like him make a statement
like that? It hurts the victims of Boko Haram and it is a clear indication that
he (Buhari) is defending Boko Haram members. No wonder the sect said they were
not going to negotiate or talk to anybody until Buhari serves as a mediator. We
are now beginning to see the connection. That is why we are saying that the
Federal Government should arrest him to give us more explanation on why he is
defending them. They are being unveiled now; that is why he is saying it is
injustice to them. All I’m saying is that the reason CAN is saying Buhari
should be arrested is because his recent comment is inciting and a clear
indication that he is advocating and trying to defend Boko Haram. He is saying
that their houses are being destroyed and they are being killed. That is
insensitive to the victims of the bombings and gun attacks of Boko Haram. Such
a statement should not come from Buhari, an elder statesman. What about the
people that Boko Haram members have killed; the churches they have burnt down
and the Christians that have been killed at their places of worship? Buhari
should be arrested to explain more, because there is more to this than meets
the eye.
But that was his personal opinion,
which he has right to.
But then this is a man who wants to
be president again, is he going to be president over people like Boko Haram
members that he is defending? We, Christians, have our own votes too. Several
churches have been burnt in the North, Buhari has never condemned injustice
to Christians or done something about it. But now he wants to defend murderers.
It is an insult to us, Christians. Mind you, Boko Haram did not hide their
agenda. They said they want to get rid of Christianity in the North. They also
said they want to get rid of the Nigerian Constitution and replace it with
Sharia law. What is Buhari saying? Is he going to be president for a section of
the country? That does not fit a leader like Gen. Buhari.
Is CAN saying that the statement
portrays Buhari as an Islamic extremist?
The statement portrays him as a
supporter of Boko Haram. He is defending them. He is now challenging the
Federal Government that it is not fair to Boko Haram, because soldiers are now
destroying their houses and killing them. He is the one who is being unfair
because he has not acknowledged the fact that these Boko Haram members have
victims, who they have rendered homeless; children, whom they have rendered
fatherless and families that have watched their breadwinners killed by Boko
Haram. People have been killed in their places of worship and he has not said
anything about that. Who are these people he is defending and what is his
connection with them? We want to know. And if he is going to be our president
as he wants to, then he has to explain to us his connection with Boko Haram.
Let me say this: any party that is taking Buhari as its leader has to explain
to us its position on Boko Haram, because this must not continue.
Talking about inciting statements,
ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Asari-Dokubo, recently said there would be
crisis if Jonathan is not allowed to go for a second term. Why didn’t CAN call
from his arrest?
That statement is for politicians.
CAN is picking on this one because CAN is directly affected. It is Christians
that are being killed and churches that are being burnt down. Dokubo’s
statement was a political statement; CAN has nothing to do with that.
Buhari’s party, the Congress for
Progressive Change, has accused CAN of becoming a political group since Pastor
Ayo Oritsejafor, became its president. What is your reaction to this?
Tell them to mention just one word
that Oritsejafor has used and one thing that he has done to show that he is
political. Is it because Oritsejafor is standing for the truth and speaking for
the persecuted church in the North? And members of that party are the ones that
are doing the havoc. Oritsejafor, as leader of Christians in this country,
cannot fold his arms and allow people to be killed in churches and places of
worship being destroyed. He will not keep quiet. No, it will not happen.
Oritsejafor is not political. Tell them to tell the whole world one statement
or one act of Oritsejafor that shows that he is political and we will be
willing to apologise. Oritsejafor is speaking the truth, challenging the
government and those murderous people called Boko Haram and some people don’t
want him to say anything. They want him to keep quiet and let them kill us the
way they like, any time they like and deny us the right to freedom of worship.
The constitution says we have the right to freedom of religion and some are
saying no. They said they want to eradicate Christians and introduce Sharia law
and you want our Christian leader to keep quiet. It doesn’t work that way.
What is CAN’s view on the bounty on
Boko Haram leader by the United States Government?
The hypocrisy is now coming out. God
is answering our prayers. This is the same US government that Oritsejafor spoke
in their Congress and said Boko Haram should be declared a terrorist group.
They did not listen. He came back home and he started having opposition from
different quarters. Some were even calling for his arrest. But you know what?
The God of Christians has vindicated him. Now their eyes are opened. Even
though it is coming late, but it is better late than never. Even the Federal
Government of Nigeria did not listen to that call. But now I’m hearing that
members of Boko Haram will be jailed for 20 years. You see, a lot of damage has
been done. But I pray that this will work so that innocent people will not be
killed anymore. So, we say America, Federal Government welcome onboard with
CAN, because that has been CAN’s position.
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