Osinbajo Links Terrorism To Bad Religious Doctrines

Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has blamed bad religious doctrines for increased terrorism, violence and armed conflicts around the world.

The Vice President made the observation at a meeting on Wednesday with 200 world religious leaders in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Apostles Of Hatred

He advised the clerics to do all within their power to disqualify all apostles of hatred and bad doctrines across the world.

Professor Osinbajo says the government is determined to protect the sanctity of every human and their right to belong to any religion.

World leaders have moved away from talk to downright action over the last decade to confront the issue of religious extremism.

Various forms of violence have risen owing to bad doctrines, a development that prompted the meeting of world religious leaders, with participants seeking ways that religions could work for global peace.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, agreed that the central concern for Nigeria is to uphold her unity and peace through religion.

The high-level international inter-religious gathering will also consider how religions could positively affect and encourage efforts to foster social harmony and economic progress.

Heat Of Insurgency

Nigeria has in the last six years continued to tackle insurgency by Boko Haram terrorist group which has attacked communities in the northeast.

The Islamic group said it wanted to establish an Islamic State and bring an end to Western education in the region.

In the heat of the insurgency, nearly 300 girls were taken from their school’s dormitory in Government Girls Secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, a stronghold of the group.

The girls were taken on April 14, 2014.

Over 50 girls escaped on the same day from the group, leaving over 200 others in their captivity.

For two years, Nigerian armed forces have made several attempts to rescue them with support from international community, but did not make any major breakthrough until October 13, when 21 girls were released.

Their release came after one of the girls was rescued in May, with one of the terrorists she was married to saying they had decided to come out of their haven due to lack of food and other things.

The Nigerian government said the girls were released based on trust and negotiation aided by some friends of the oil-rich nation.

On Wednesday, the 21 released girls met with President Muhammadu Buhari, with the President assuring them that the government would rehabilitate them, and ensure that their reintegration back to the Society is done as quickly as possible.