Dare Babalola
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has condemned the recent attacks on civilians in Nigeria, describing the perpetrators as “Islamist terrorists” who target both Christians and Muslims.
In a post shared via his Facebook page on Tuesday, Fani-Kayode criticised those who deny the targeting of Christians, calling them “genocide-enablers” and “perfidious propagandists”.
“The insenstive and cruel assertion that Christians are not being killed in Nigeria and that we bury empty coffins is a monstrous mendacity.
“Christians are targetted and killed in large numbers in Nigeria and anyone that denies this, plays it down or says otherwise is a perfidious propagandist, a genocide-enabler and a specious liar,” he said.
Fani-Kayode highlighted several recent attacks, including the abduction of 25 girls and their Principal from a school in Maga, Kebbi state, where the Vice Principal was killed, and the abduction of 64 people in Tsafe, Zamfara state.
He noted that the victims are from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds.
“What must be clearly understood however is that Muslims are ALSO targetted and killed by the same terrorists in equal numbers,” Fani-Kayode added.
He rejected calls for amnesty for the terrorists, saying they show no remorse for their actions and should be crushed by the Federal Government and Armed Forces.
The former minister said, “There is only ONE answer for them and that is for the Federal Government and Armed Forces to muster the courage, means, resources and firm resolve to crush them ruthlesly and send them back to hell.”
Fani-Kayode warned against framing the issue as a Christian vs Muslim conflict or seeking foreign intervention, which he said would exacerbate the situation.
Fani-Kayode urged Nigerians to set aside differences and confront the common enemy together, saying the country should not be turned into a war-torn state or used as a proxy war ground for foreign powers.
He continued, “What is NOT the answer is to spin the whole thing into a Christian versus Muslim narrative or to support the reckless and short-sighted idea of an American invasion which would make matters even worse and which would only swell the ranks of the terrorists.
“Outside of that we must pray hard for our country because those that wish to divide and destroy us are preparing the ground and are hard at work.
“Nigeria must not be turned into Congo, Somalia, Darfur, Sudan, Gaza, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or any other war-torn and decimated non-functional failed state.
“Nigeria must not be used as an arena or battle ground for a proxy war for mineral resources between the superpowers.
“Nigeria must not be turned into yet another pitiful, pathetic and sorry victim of competing foreign forces and interests and western imperialism.
“We must set our differences aside, we must remain united and focused and we must stand shoulder to shoulder and confront the common enemy together.”
