“I won’t comment on Boko Haram, I still have family to take care of” – Ministerial Nominee, Shittu

A ministerial nominee, Adebayo
Shittu, who was screened by the
Senate on Tuesday declined to
publicly comment on the
extremist Boko Haram sect, saying
he feared for his safety.
Boko Haram is currently ravaging
North-East Nigeria, killing,
bombing innocent citizens.
Mr. Shittu, responding to a
question pertaining the activities
of sect, said he could not publicly
comment on the sect, expressing
fear over his safety.
“I cannot publicly comment on
Boko Haram; I still have family to
care of,” he said
He noted that many northern
leaders were “unfairly” criticised
for not speaking out against the
sect.
Mr. Shittu explained that Boko
Haram had killed anybody who
spoke out against the sect.
“So anybody that still wants to
live will not condemn that faceless
group publicly.”
Mr. Shittu, a lawyer and Islamic
scholar, however, insisted that the
activities the sect negated the
principles of Islam.
“They can claim to be anything,”
the ministerial nominee. “They
even claim to be a Christian; but if
you are Christian and still goes to
babalawo (herbalist), you are not
really a Christian.
“So also if you say you are a
Muslim but kills innocent people,
you are not really a Muslim,” he
explained.
He further said Islam teaches
freedom of religion as a central
tenet, pointing that “Almighty
Allah says he wants everybody to
be of same faith, he will have
done so”.
He had earlier said he was never
indicted for religious intolerance
in Oyo State.