The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) chief Lateef Adegbite yesterday urged the United States not to be in a haste in tagging Boko Haram as a terrorist group.
He also urged governors in the North to work with the security agencies and the Federal Government in resolving the security challenges.
Adegbite spoke yesterday during a visit to the State House where he met with Vice President Namadi Sambo alongside other members of the leadership of Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI).
Adegbite, who was reacting to the US listing Boko Haram leader Ibrahim Shekau and two others as terrorists, told State House correspondents that such a declaration would have wider implication on the people.
He said since Nigerians are doing all things necessary to address the matter through dialogue, the US should hasten slowly.
“How do they know who are Boko Haram and those who are not? The implication will be very serious. They may see someone like me with my long beards and think I am Boko Haram; so the implication will be very serious.
“ We are appealing to them to give Nigeria more time to dialogue with our people and we hope we will reintegrate them into our fold.
“They should hasten slowly. We must see all these that are happening as a total challenge and war against all Nigerians - Muslims, Christians and none believers.”
In Adegbite’s view, the security situation “is beyond religion and against the people of this country and the people of this country must ensure that it does not degenerate into the situation like that of Afghanistan, Somalia and Mali now.”
“ We are too sophisticated for that and, therefore, we must stop the drift and arrest it . The government is doing its best because these are faceless people. They engage in a kind of mutiny against the people. So, they are not easy to identify.”
Adegbite urged Nigerian to cooperate with the security agencies by identifying Boko Haram’s operatives and backers who live among the people.
“The people know them. They are neighbours of the people. The people must be security conscious and point out these evil doers among us to security agencies,” he said. He urged the government to urgently address poverty and unemployment.
“We should give those who are unemployed annual grant and encourage them to work. When they have better work, nobody wants to be a beggar. So social security system is a must,” Adegbite said.
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