SAFAR 21 1431 A.H.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2010.
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No Al-Qaeda, Taliban groups in Nigeria ...NSCIA insists
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) yesterday in Abuja said there was no foothold of either al-Qaeda or the Taliban movement in Nigeria.
In a statement, signed by Dr Lateef Adegbite, Secretary-General of NSCIA and entitled: ``Islam is Against Violence, the council said Nigerian Muslims would not welcome any attempt by the groups to establish their cells in the country.
Speaking against the backdrop that al-Qaeda group in North Africa had allegedly offered to train and equip Nigerian Muslims against non-Muslims, the council said there was no such thing.
``We wish to state emphatically that Nigerian Muslims are not at loggerheads with their Christian counter-parts.
``The recentunfortunate bloody Jos disturbances like others before were not caused by religious differences but were rooted in ethnic and political rivalry.
``Neither al-Qaeda nor the Taliban has a foothold in Nigeria. Nor would Nigerian Muslims welcome any attempts by them to establish their cells here, the council said.
The statement said the Nigerian Muslim leadership had been enlightening its followers, especially the youth, on the need to be alert and avoid evil persons who might want to indoctrinate and recruit them into groups.
``It is worth repeating that Islam is a religion of peace and is decisively against violence.
``We have been warning Muslims all over the country to watch out for and report suspicious movements and groups who may be harbouring violent ideas and tendencies.
``Nigerian Muslims are irrevocably committed to the unity, peace and stability of our beloved country, the council said.
Similarly, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) also dissociated itself and the Muslim community in Nigeria from the message from al-Qaeda.
In a statement, signed by MURIC's Coordinator, Dr Ishaq Akintola, the group said ``we of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), however, cannot tow the line of al-Qaeda.
``Neighbourliness is one of the core teachings of Islam. We cannot rise against our neighbours simply because we hold different religious views.
MURIC said that violence was antithetical to Islam and implored Muslims not to fight those who did not fight them.
``Nonetheless, we must not lose the import of the al-Qaeda message. The fact that it takes those in faraway Maghrib to speak out for al-Qaeda shows that the group does not exist in Nigeria yet.
``This also explains why there has been no al-Qaeda attack in the country up till this moment. It also means that the group realised its limits in Nigeria and it is therefore seeking a foothold in the country, MURIC said.
