Former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has expressed his disappointment over the apparent silence of Islamic scholars concerning the increasing problem of banditry in several parts of Northern Nigeria.
The Northern region, particularly the North West, has been facing ongoing challenges due to frequent attacks carried out by organized criminal factions involved in various illicit activities such as large-scale cattle rustling, sexual assaults, extortion, ransom kidnappings, and armed robberies.
Highlighting the geographical extent of these attacks across states like Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger, Ahmad, in a statement, emphasized the importance of Islamic scholars publicly condemning the actions of the bandits. He argued that the lack of strong condemnation might inadvertently contribute to the misconception that the egregious acts of banditry are somehow associated with Islam.
Ahmad further clarified that the actions of these bandits must be unequivocally recognized as acts of terrorism, emphasizing that they do not represent Islam or the broader community. He called for collective acknowledgment of these individuals as terrorists and urged the public to separate their activities from the Islamic faith.
