“Our military can wipe insurgency in a month, if” .. Muslim cleric

By Philip Ezuma, Port Harcourt

The nation’s military can wipe out insurgency in a month, and given the current insecurity, they can also contain same in one month, if there be political will.

The Rivers State Islamic leader and Vice President General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs NSCIA, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor, made the declaration at the weekend in Port Harcourt, in an exclusive interview, as he reviewed Salalah activities, and also reacting to insecurity in the country.

Alhaji Uhor viewed that the military cannot perform, without political will. “To go to war is not enough, unless there be a political will to support it. Our security network in the hands of current crop of politicians, has been bastardized”, he reasoned.

He warned that until the sponsors of Boko Haram and other forms of insecurity are identified, arrested and brought to book, it will be impissible, to deal with issue decisively.

On reintegration of repentant Boko Haram members into the military, he reasoned that, it works both ways. He said the army made inroads, because of information garnered from the surrendered ones, observing that some of them are genuine, while others are saboteurs. He said that information debriefed from them will help the army to plan the war strategy.

*If the military is sure that those who surrendered, and have re-orinteted them sufficiently enough to integrate them into the army, they should be the front ‘Vanguard’ army, who will be able to detect their hideouts, using the case of Rivers State as a point.

On Eid-el- Kabir, the cleric noted, it is an annual festival ordained by Allah, to remind mankind of how He wants man to worship him.

According to him, Almighty Allah demonstrated it, using His friend and Prophet Ibrahim. “Prophet Ibrahim in his old age, begged Allah to give him a son, and He answered his prayer, and granted him the request, and gave him Prophet Ismaila.”

“In a dream, that same Allah ordered him to sacrifice that only son He gave to him. Having told his son, of his dream, he obliged his father to offer him to Allah.”

He explained that acceptance by Ibrahim to offer his son Ismaila, represented absolute and unquestioning faith, and that is what Allah wants from mankind. “If Allah says, enter the fire, you should willingly do so. Thats the exact meaning of the festival.”

On whether modern day muslims can perform same faith, he explained, there is no old nor new Muslim, but as it was in the days of Prophet Mohammed, so it still is.

According to him, Ibrahim and his only son, having demonstrated such a blind faith, Allah provided him a ram for the sacrifice, in place of his son Ismaila, and that what Muslims commemorate today.

Every year, when we perform this ceremony, we are required to go inwards and ask ourselves, whether we are having faith in Allah, the way Prophet Ibrahim and his son had in Allah then.

Explaining further, the Vice President General Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, noted that, freedom of choice is the beauty of Islam rests in freedom of choice of good and evil.

On relationship withe state government, he expressed displeasure at the governor’s recent declaration that, Rivers state is 100%, a Christian state. “We don’t like the claim, because, it is false. We know, he has misled himself, and that has not allowed him to relate with us very well.

” Our relationship can be far better than, what is now. We are still open to fruitful dialogue and laiaison, it could be better, but for now, it’s not the best we want of it.