Boko Haram: we won’t stop until Nigeria accepts sharia law
Sister Regina in Lagos Photo: Iain Guest
The Islamist group Boko Haram group, which has killed almost 1000 people in Nigeria, vows to continue its campaign of violence until the country is ruled by sharia law.
“We will consider negotiation only when we have brought the government to their knees,” the spokesman, Abu Qaqa, told The Guardian. ”Once we see that things are being done according to the dictates of Allah, and our members are released [from prison], we will only put aside our arms – but we will not lay them down. You don’t put down your arms in Islam, you only put them aside.”
During the group’s first major interview with a western newspaper, Qaqa claimed this week that Boko Haram had met senior figures in the network founded by Osama bin Laden during visits to Saudia Arabia.
Qaqa said the rights of the country’s 70 million Christians, who represent half of Nigeria’s population, “would be protected” under the group’s envisioned Islamic state. But he said everyone must abide by sharia law:
“There are no exceptions. Even if you are a Muslim and you don’t abide by sharia, we will kill you. Even if you are my own father, we will kill you… It’s the secular state that is responsible for the woes we are seeing today. People should understand that we are not saying we have to rule Nigeria, but we have been motivated by the stark injustice in the land. People underrate us but we have our sights set on [bringing sharia to] the whole world, not just Nigeria.”
Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it “haram”, or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with Western society. Sharia law is already in place across 12 states in the Muslim-majority north.
“There are no exceptions. Even if you are a Muslim and you don’t abide by sharia, we will kill you. Even if you are my own father, we will kill you… It’s the secular state that is responsible for the woes we are seeing today. People should understand that we are not saying we have to rule Nigeria, but we have been motivated by the stark injustice in the land. People underrate us but we have our sights set on [bringing sharia to] the whole world, not just Nigeria.”
And you really have the nerve to file this article under the heading “Anti faith watch”
Peter
February 14, 2012 at 17:50
Eh? As Peter has already pointed out, how is claiming that you want your country ran according to your religious beliefs “anti-faith”.
This is EXACTLY the reason why religion has no place in the running of a modern society.
Don’t you see the issue here? Rather than wanting people to free to follow their religious beliefs and force them on to others, you want people to be free to follow YOUR religious and force them on others.
Hibbo
March 8, 2012 at 17:42
Anyone with an ounce of wit can see that this is a Christian site, the ‘faith’ referred to is the Christian faith. Sharia law, in all its wonderful brutality, is about as un-Christian as it comes – and therefore, justifiably filed under ‘anti-faith’ topics.
Gracefield
March 19, 2012 at 13:35
Yes it is very sad that any group is persecuted and physically attacked. Humankind’s ability for predation.
But let’s just remind ourselves, that the Christian faith has always used brutality, fear and predation for it’s own advancement!
Christianity may have to pick the sword back up if it wants to survive in these dictatorship regimes……….ironic really!!
The Doubter
April 28, 2012 at 04:52
I thought the faith referred to was the faith that a human may have in there being a G-d. It is a shame, if this site is to be solely a Christian site that that is not made clear in its title. Also, not all Sharia Law is brutal. Some of it is very lovely. Unfortunately, those who seek to implement it as sovereign law are usually not of sound mind.
Ruth
October 20, 2012 at 18:24
Christians complaining about Boko Haram ?
The difference is BokoHaram is overt while as always the Christians have been covert.
Deceit has been the bedrock of evangelical activity. Time they are stopped.
Go BH.
Reddy
August 14, 2012 at 11:35