Muslim leaders and Islamic organizations in Nigeria are expressing dissatisfaction with the consistent reference to Boko Haram as an "Islamic sect" in the media. According to them, such a description is misleading and “unacceptable”.
When Boko Haram began its spree of bombing and public fracas back in 2009, the labeling of it as “Islamic” by the Nigerian and international media was spontaneous and immediate. The Muslim community in Nigeria had no objection to such a qualification, even though they mainly disagreed with the use of violence by the group in pursuing its objectives. At the time this description was justified by the sect’s declaration that it was fighting for the complete enthronement of Sharia in Nigeria. Its self-adopted appellation – Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lida’wati waj Jihad (meaning “society of followers of the Prophet’s way in preaching and striving”) – also gave credence to, and justified such connection of the group with Islam by the media.
Changing Perceptions
Since then, a series of events have resulted in Muslim opinion leaders, Islamic movements as well as the ordinary Muslims refusing to accept the description accorded to the group by the media. They have utilized several channels and mediums to convey their preference for the description of the group as simply militant, saying that most of its victims are even Muslims.
The chairman of ‘Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria’ (MMPN), Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Balogun questioned the Islamic label affixed to the militant group, at a symposium organized by the MMPN in Abuja on February 6. The sect’s campaign of deadly onslaughts, he contended, runs contrary to the preaching of Islam and renders an affiliation of the former with the latter, both self-contradictory and erroneous.
‘The Muslim Congress’ (TMC) in a statement signed by its Amir, Mallam Luqman AbdurRaheem and presented to the ‘O’odua Muslim-Christian Youth Dialogue Group’ (OMC-YDG) on the 23rd of February declared that “the Muslim Ummah frowned at the statement ‘Boko Haram Islamic Sect’ as consistently reported by Nigeria media and insinuated by some elements. The appellation “Boko Haram sect” is appropriate; please leave Islam or Islamic out because Islam adopts non-violent preaching as tools for social change not killings and bombings.”
Also, the Director of ‘Muslim Rights Concern’ (MURIC), Dr Is-haq Akintola, in a press statement, condemned the group’s brutality which he said do not represent Islam. “We denounce Boko Haram’s violent approach particularly its attacks on rival religious targets. MURIC affirms clearly, unequivocally and unambiguously that Boko Haram is not fighting for Nigerian Muslims,” he said.
Adding his voice to the increasing body of Muslim leaders, the Director of Media and Communications at the ‘Muslim Public Affairs Centre’ (MPAC), Disu Kamor said: “The Boko Haram group does not speak or act for Islam or the Muslims. We reject their rhetoric, we oppose their violent methodology, we pray that the wind of time blows them away as quickly as other extremist groups before them, and we remain proud of the religion which God has blessed us with.”
Common Voices
The position taken by these Islamic organizations appears to be shared by ordinary Muslims in Nigeria. A recent Gallup survey published in February which interviewed 1,000 persons in Nigeria aged 15 and above found that about 60% of Nigerian Muslims denounce the sect and its description. “Nigerians do not embrace the anti-Western rhetoric of Boko Haram, the militant movement is behind a series of deadly attacks in the country. About 6 in 10 Nigerians believe (contrary to Boko Haram’s view) greater interaction with the West is more of a benefit than a threat,” the survey said.
The Boko Haram, whose name translates as “Western education is sacrilege” claims that contact between the Muslims on one hand and the West with its institutions, civilization and ideals on the other hand corrodes the faith and Islamic values of the Muslims. It therefore attacks government institutions, security establishments and churches all of which it claims promote Western values.
In a recent video message posted on You Tube, its leader, Abubakar Shekau declared that “Everyone knows that democracy and the constitution is paganism and everyone knows there are some things that God has forbidden in the Quran that cannot be counted, even Western education…This religion of Christianity you are practicing is not a religion of God – it is paganism. God frowns at it. What you are practicing is not religion.”
In recent times, it has intensified its attacks on schools, mosques and even Muslims, which it sees as opposing its violent ideology.
A quick perusal of users’ comments and postings on Nigerian internet news sites and social networking sites reveal the frequent denunciation of the Boko Haram and expressions of displeasure with the pattern of media reportage by Muslims in Nigeria. A Facebook user, Idris Adediran posted: “People should stop associating Boko Haram with Islam because all their actions are contrary. The question we should ask is: which Islamic goal has been or will be achieved by killing and bombing Muslim-dominated northern Nigeria?”
Zubair Aisha, a resident in Ibadan, Oyo State told “Islam Online” that the pattern of media reportage is “unacceptable”. “It’s sickening and unacceptable to us as Muslims to sit down and allow some ignorant fellows drag the noble name of Islam in the mud all in the name of reporting the activities of bunches of evil-minded, stone-hearted, lawless thugs who appear never to have heard even the teslim (Islamic greeting) let alone be Muslims, and the sorry side to it all is having some so-called literate and well-informed people swallow the shallow water hook, line and sinker,” she asserted.
Others consider the media labeling as discriminatory since Christians caught committing terrorist acts are not linked to their faith. “As the press tag Muslims who perpetrates evils different kind of names to discredit Islamic faith on the face of the earth, should we now call Breivik a "Christianist", "Christian Radicalist" or "Christian Fundamentalist" just because he's a Christian knowing fully well that the two religions does not preach violence and terrorism?” Abdullateef As-sudaisiy, a Lagos-based legal practitioner told “Islam Online”.
Notwithstanding all these, the Nigerian media, like many international media outfits, seems to have concluded that there's only one type of terrorist group – the "Islamic" or "Islamist". At times, “Islamist” is even substituted for the group’s notorious name, “Boko Haram”. Bloodcurdling headlines like “Islamists bomb churches, slaughter 32” are becoming commonplace.
The persistence in the usage of “Islamic” to portray Boko Haram has the potential of brewing abhorrence for Islam, Muslims and the religion in general. Abdul Hafeez Ganiyy, a bricklayer in Kwara State recounted to “Islam Online”, his recent ordeal when he travelled with about 29 of his co-workers to Owerri, Imo state last month. “When we got to Ara Junction, the policemen made us alight our bus and they searched every belonging in our bus because of me. Worst still, they did not check only me; they said I could have bombs on me,” he explained.
“When we continued (the journey), my fellow travelers questioned, ‘why I should have a beard and why I should wear my trousers above my ankles?’ ‘Didn’t I know that’s how the Boko Haram dresses?” he said.
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