Nigerians must unite against terror, by Lagos commissioner

NIGERIANS have been enjoined to unite to fight the war against terror.

Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef said yesterday that war could only be won through collective effort.

“Everybody should know that the current situation requires that all hands must be on deck. Every sector has a role to play – the media, the armed forces, the teachers, the lawyers – must have the fear of God. Everybody must know that this is a joint effort because the Quran says fear a trial because when it comes, it would consume not only those who started it,” AbdulLateef said at a seminar organised by The Criterion, an association of Muslim women in business and the professions.

Speaking on “Misrepresentation and misinterpretation of Islamic teachings”, AbdulLateef said misinterpretation and misrepresentation of Islam manifests when Muslims neglect the basic teachings of Islam.

He urged the gathering to be tolerant and seek knowledge and enlighten others on what Islam stands for.

He said: “We need to continue to enlighten people. Religious leaders must not be silent. They must speak out and explain Islam to people. You can’t say you are a Muslim when you disrespect your parents, members of your family, harm your neighbours, not catering for the orphans and the poor regardless of their religion. That enlightenment is the spirit that everybody must imbibe because Prophet Muhammad lived with Jews and Christians and accommodated every one of them. “We want a situation where people understand that Islam is alien to violence, abhors intolerance because it tolerates people of other religion; it says no to rebellious activities; so, everybody must understand that. We must live together. Nigeria is a country where this marriage has taken place since the amalgamation and all Nigerians must learn to live together regardless of their tribal, ethnic or religious affiliations.”

The commissioner blamed parents for youths’ restiveness in the society, saying they have abandoned their primary role of training their children.

Speaking on “Manifestation of Deviant Behaviour, Group and Ideology,” Dr Lateefah Durosinmi, a university teacher, said deviant behaviours were caused by excessive religiosity, maladjustment from the home and absence of proper parenthood.

Deviant behaviour, she said, manifested through bigotry, intellectual terrorism, intention to change society, controversies about social order, unnecessary desire for martyrdom, adding that the consequences include conflict in society and general social instability.