Failed economic jihad

Every passing day, Nigerians are barraged by a cacophony of discordant tunes coming out of the policy and administrative jukeboxes of the APC-led Federal Government. When Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, the Senate want-away Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), declared that “the war against corruption must be fought like a jihad”, he really opened a big window to the policy-chamber, as it were, of President Muhamamdu Buhari’s policy directions.

The closest Nigerians have been exposed to a jihad are the ravages of Boko Haram and Fulani tribesmen; but a jihad, be it economicJihad or political jihad or social jihad or scorched-earth jihad must necessarily, by Islamic injunctions or brute fatwas, be directed against “the people of the Book” otherwise known as the Jews and “the ones who have gone ‘astray’” otherwise known as the Christians. Nowadays, other non-Muslim types who were not profiled in the Koran, like the Hindus, the Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Shintos, the Jains, the Zoroastrians, the Confucians, the Baha’is, the Druzes, and even the Shi’ites are now fair game in a jihad.

From the mouth of Magu the true reason for the relentless, one-sided pursuits and confiscations of the assets of Nigerian Christians spewed forth for even babes to discern. No wonder the allegations against Dr. Maikanti Baru of the NNPC would be “swept under the carpet.” Alhaji Magu’s pronouncement also reminded us of the daily bashings that Jews and Christians get each time a Muslim recites the al-fatiha: “…those who have lost your favour…” are the Jews and “… those who have gave astray…” are the Christians.

Sunday Adole Jonah

Minna Niger State