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Buhari drags Nigeria into Saudi-led Islamic coalition

Nigeria will join the Saudi Arabia led coalition of Muslim countries against terrorism, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Mr. Buhari, a Muslim from the Northern Nigeria, stated this in an interview with Aljazeera.

“We are part of it because we have got terrorists in Nigeria that everybody knows which claims that they are Islamic” the Septuagenarian said in reference to Boko Haram, the group whose activities has caused the death of about 20,000 people since 2009.

Mr. Buhari’s decision to join the coalition announced by Saudi Arabia last December appears to have changed after a meeting with the Saudi King, Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz.

According to a statement signed by his spokesperson, the Nigerian leader had expressed reluctance to join the coalition when he met the Saudi king.

“Even if we are not a part of it, we support you,” he was quoted to have said at the meeting held in Saudi Arabia in February.

The Aljazeera interview is believed to have been held in Qatar, where Mr. Buhari visited after his trip to Saudi Arabia.

Many analysts have described the coalition as Saudi Arabia’s way to challenge Iran’s growing influence in global Islamic affairs. Saudi Arabia is the leader of Sunni Muslims while Iran is the base of Shia Muslims worldwide. Most Muslims in Nigeria are Sunni and the country’s military recently attacked a Shia procession killing hundreds, according to Human Rights Watch, after the military claimed they planned to assassinate the Army chief.

“We must not let Sunni and Shiite states furtively and covertly turn Nigeria into another Middle East battleground,” Adeolu Ademoyo, a Nigerian lecturer at Cornell University stated in opposition to the coalition.

The decision to join the Islamic coalition also goes against the calls by many Nigerians who asked that the country not join the coalition.

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, had in December cautioned against joining the 34-member coalition, called ISMAT, announced by Saudi Arabia.

“This singular gesture of the Buhari government betrays so much, and tends to confirm our fears that underneath everything this government is doing, there is an agenda with strong Islamic undertones, aimed at undermining Nigeria’s pluralistic character and neutrality regarding government’s affiliation to any one religion,” Vanguard Newspapers quoted the coalition of Nigerian Churches as saying in a statement by its General Secretary, Musa Asake.

PREMIUM TIMES had also warned against joining the coalition. In an editorial published in January, this newspaper stated that “Nigeria should not join ISMAT, created specifically under pressure to fight ISIS.”

“The national interests of Saudi Arabia are not Nigeria’s national interests. On the sound and legitimate issue of fighting terrorism locally, regionally and globally, Saudi Arabia has shown that her interests come first before any commitment to fight terrorism.”

However, defending his decision, Mr. Buhari told his interviewer that, “If there is an Islamic coalition to fight terrorism, Nigeria will be part of it because we are casualties of Islamic terrorism.”

When asked how the coalition would work in Nigeria’s interest, the president said it would be within the framework of Lake Chad basin coalition against Boko Haram which comprises of Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin.

“I don’t think we need to tell the press the details of that” he said in relation to the number of troops to de deployed by the Lake Chad coalition that would be part of the Saudi-led coalition.”

When questioned about whether or not his decision would go well with Nigerian Christians who make up about half of the country’s population, Mr. Buhari said, “I have just told you it is the Boko Haram itself that declared loyalty to ISIL. Now, ISIL is basically based in Islamic countries. If there is a coalition to fight terrorism, why can’t Nigeria be part of it.”

“Why can’t those Christians that complain go and fight terrorism in Nigeria or fight the militants in the South. It is Nigeria that matters, not the opinions of some religious bigots,” he added.

The Nigerian leader denied seeking to change Nigeria’s multi-religious nature by his actions saying “How can I change the religious identity of Nigeria?”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/199616-buhari-drags-nigeria-saudi-led-islamic-coalition.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

When questioned about whether or not his decision would go well with Nigerian Christians who make up about half of the country’s population, Mr. Buhari said,.............“Why can’t those Christians that complain go and fight terrorism in Nigeria or fight the militants in the South. It is Nigeria that matters, not the opinions of some religious bigots,”

sunnyb0b0:
When questioned about whether or not his decision would go well with Nigerian Christians who make up about half of the country’s population, Mr. Buhari said,.............“Why can’t those Christians that complain go and fight terrorism in Nigeria or fight the militants in the South. It is Nigeria that matters, not the opinions of some religious bigots,”

Pastor Oyedepo warned them but they would not listen.....

Then these backward zombies will accuse GEJ for being divisive. These northern animals are the most divisive with there psychopathic islam cult.

sunnyb0b0:
Pastor Oyedepo warned them but they would not listen.....

This man again? Is it not the same man that supported GEJ and even threatened to open the gate of hell if GEJ losses? Shame on him and all state sabotuers!
" Sky Daddy" or whatever you call him can keep fooling himself. Buhari would take actions that are in the best interest of Nigeria. And the joke is on you for letting fraudulent men control your life and thought. Just look how silly you sound!

Buhari had already given us subtle clues from earlier but thing is the whosle nation was not paying attention. When Buhari took a stand on the Israeli-Palestine conflict by saying “I want to assure you that we will stand side by side with you, until our brothers and sisters in Palestine achieve their desired objectives". He cast aside any doubts that Nigeria is now an Islamic country, or mildly put, a member of the islamic coalition. This is the worrying bit everyone is supposed to be concerned about in that interview.

The islamization agenda is already silently in motion.

But Garba Shehu said that he rejected the offer?

Kondomatic:
But Garba Shehu said that he rejected the offer?

Al-taqqiya People's congress (APC).

Nigeria is a secular state so any idea that will favours Nigerian from any school of thought is welcome.
PMB is a forthright man who is ready to take the bullet of criticism from sensational bigots for the greater good of Nigerians.
If you observe those chanting Buhari islamization of Nigeria are those who never believe in Nigeria as an entity but seek to create discord for the realization of an illusory pagan utopia.

The same saudi that refused to allow GEJ's ammunition fly over their airspace after purchase. Now GEJ the Kaffur is no longer in power. So they can do bussiness with their muslim brother, the dull one.

www.nairaland.com/2065962/saudi-arabia-refuses-grant-flight

1freshdude:
This man again? Is it not the same man that supported GEJ and even threatened to open the gate of hell if GEJ losses? Shame on him and all state sabotuers!
" Sky Daddy" or whatever you call him can keep fooling himself. Buhari would take actions that are in the best interest of Nigeria. And the joke is on you for letting fraudulent men control your life and thought. Just look how silly you sound!

Which gate of hell is worse than what Nigeria is in now? Please tell us. From $ to fuel scarcity, Agatu to mile 12, Ese to Patience Paul.......

MonPro:
The same saudi that refused to allow GEJ's ammunition fly over their airspace after purchase. Now GEJ the Kaffur is no longer in power. So they can do bussiness with their muslim brother, the dull one.

www.nairaland.com/2065962/saudi-arabia-refuses-grant-flight

Nigerians like living in amnesia.

sunnyb0b0:
When questioned about whether or not his decision would go well with Nigerian Christians who make up about half of the country’s population, Mr. Buhari said,.............“Why can’t those Christians that complain go and fight terrorism in Nigeria or fight the militants in the South. It is Nigeria that matters, not the opinions of some religious bigots,”

And so? Tell me what's wrong with his statement. God bless you my president. May your haters die by strange and extremely deadly diseases

MonPro:
The same saudi that refused to allow GEJ's ammunition fly over their airspace after purchase. Now GEJ the Kaffur is no longer in power. So they can do bussiness with their muslim brother, the dull one.

www.nairaland.com/2065962/saudi-arabia-refuses-grant-flight

Yes he is a kuffur but that's not why they didn't do business with him. They didn't do business with him because he is an idiotic and ineffectual buffon

You inability to address issues objectively renders you a bigot. Simple.

Ok

abduljabbar4:
And so? Tell me what's wrong with his statement. God bless you my president. May your haters die by strange and extremely deadly diseases

If you can't see anything wrong with the statement then I'm sorry, no one can help you on this forum.