Boko Haram: Don Calls For Dialogue

Dr. Kamil Oloso, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, has advised the Federal Government to end the Boko Haram menace through dialogue with its leadership.

Oloso, who teaches in the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, gave the advice on Tuesday in Ibadan at the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Muslim Community in Bodija Estate and environs.

He said that government needed to handle the Boko Haram question in the same manner it tackled militancy in the Niger Delta.

“What can we do to stem the state of violence? What can we do to reorient them? What can we do to stop them from further killings?

“You enter into dialogue with them, like we did for the Niger-Delta militants; you try to identify their ring leaders and then you enter into dialogue with them.

“You see, this is even more dangerous than the Niger Delta militia, especially something that involves suicide bombing, suicide killing.

“Somebody who believes that if he kills he will go to Al-Jannah, that he is a martyr, somebody like that you don’t play with him or her.

“You need to enter into dialogue with such a person so that through that dialogue, you may be able to explain things to him and get him to rethink his hostile position.”

He also condemned the indiscriminate arrest of suspected terrorists by security operatives, saying that such actions could worsen the situation.

“What actually propelled Boko Haram with time was that the security agencies were just killing people indiscriminately.

“They don’t want to see anybody with beard, they don’t want to see anybody whose trouser is not touching the ground; they don’t want to see anybody carrying rosary. They regard all of those people as Boko Haram members and then began to kill them.

“I mean, that kind of thing, if it goes on unabated, will not curb violence because vengeance will be there.

“If somebody’s father or brother has been killed unjustifiably; that person will naturally be bitter. So, security agents too should be given orientation as to how to arrest this kind of situation.”

On his part, Alhaji Ganiyu Oladimeji, the Chairman of the community, called on people to be vigilant, especially during worship.

He said that such steps would help in safeguarding the lives and property of the community “in the present era of bombing, kidnapping, killing and other forms of violence.”

According to him, the community has been proactive in the area of security by engaging the services of the Nigeria Police and Sheriff Guards to provide security “for our premises during our functions.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the AGM were unanimous in their decision for gates to be erected at all footpaths leading to the community, no matter how remote.

This, they noted, would further assist in strengthening security within the Estate.