Boko Haram attacks: Senator Ndume cautions against religious profiling

Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has cautioned against religious profiling or coloration of the victims of the terror gang, Boko Haram, which has continued to make life unbearable for Nigerians in the North East region.

The lawmaker gave the admonition in a statement on Wednesday.

Senator Ndume’s reaction was on the heels of weekend attacks in Ngoshe village, Gwoza Local Government Area, and Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area.

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The two local government areas are in Borno state.

In the two separate attacks, the insurgents killed five farmers last Saturday in Ngoshe village, who incidentally were Muslims, while three Christians fell victim to the terror gang on Sunday in Mussa village, Askira-Uba Local Government area.

According to media reports, the insurgents also razed dozens of houses in the two attacks.

The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army expressed disaffection over a narrative by an online media report that claimed that all the victims of the insurgents’ attacks were of the Christian faith.

He said: ” It is unethical and unconscionable for any media outlet to drive the narrative that Christians are the targets of these attacks by the terror group in Borno, or anywhere in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

“The forces behind these mindless killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling, which can distract us. It tends to do us more harm. It can even inflame negative passion in our soldiers, dampen the morale of men who toil day and night, determined to ensure that they wipe away this dangerous sect.

“Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserved to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction.”

While commending the military for sustaining the battle against the terror gang, Senator Ndume further restated his call on the federal government to take more than passing interest in the welfare of the military and provision of adequate arms and ammunition to enable them to overwhelm the insurgents.