From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Borno South Senator Ali Ndume has cautioned against religious profiling in the reporting of Boko Haram attacks, warning that such narratives could undermine the collective fight against insurgency.
Ndume, in a statement on Wednesday, September 3, reacted to weekend attacks in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area, and Mussa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
In the separate incidents, five Muslim farmers were killed in Ngoshe last Saturday, while three Christians were murdered the following day in Mussa. Reports also indicated that several houses were razed during the attacks.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army faulted a media report which claimed that Christians were the exclusive targets of the insurgents, describing it as misleading and capable of fuelling division.
“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 East,” Ndume said.
“The forces behind these mindless killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling which can distract us. It has the tendency of doing 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,” he added.
Ndume lamented that ordinary citizens in pursuit of peace and livelihood continue to fall victim to the violence. “These men and women deserve to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction,” he said.
While commending the military for sustaining pressure on the insurgents, the Borno senator restated his call on the federal government to take greater interest in the welfare of troops and to provide them with adequate arms and ammunition to bring the insurgency to an end.
