Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has said Boko Haram terrorists target people regardless of their faith, stressing that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of the insurgency.
He urged Nigerians, especially the media, to resist the temptation of profiling victims along religious lines, noting that unity was key to defeating the terrorists.
Ndume made the appeal in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, while reacting to recent attacks in Ngoshe village, Gwoza Local Government Area, and Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
In the two incidents, five Muslim farmers were killed in Ngoshe, while three Christians were killed in Mussa the following day. Reports also indicated that dozens of houses were razed during the attacks.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army cautioned against narratives suggesting that a particular faith was the target of Boko Haram.
The forces behind these killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling which can distract us and cause more harm. It can even inflame negative passions among our soldiers and dampen their morale,” Ndume said.
He lamented the plight of residents whose livelihoods continue to be disrupted, saying: “Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserve to live, to farm, and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence.”
Ndume commended the military for sustaining the fight against insurgents but appealed to the Federal Government to increase funding and support for security personnel to further boost their morale.
