ISWAP Execution: Don't Let Terrorists Turn You Against Muslims, Buhari Begs Christians

ISWAP said the government had failed to successfully negotiate their release, which led to their execution.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Christians in Nigeria not to allow execution by the Islamic State West Africa Province to turn them against Muslims. 

Buhari said this in reaction to a fresh video released by the terrorist group, showing the killing of some Christians in captivity.

ISWAP said the government had failed to successfully negotiate their release, which led to their execution.

President Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said he was saddened and shocked by the death of innocent hostages in the hands of remorseless, godless, callous gangs of mass murderers that have given Islam a bad name through their atrocities.

He said, “We should, under no circumstance, let the terrorists divide us by turning Christians against Muslims because these barbaric killers don't represent Islam and millions of other law-abiding Muslims around the world.

“As a President, the collective security of all Nigerians is my major preoccupation and the death of an innocent Christian or Muslim distresses me.

“No true Muslim would be shouting 'Allahu Akbar’ while killing innocent people, an evil frequently condemned by the Holy Qur'an.

“These agents of darkness are enemies of our common humanity and they don't spare any victim, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and therefore, we shouldn't let them divide us and turn us against one another."

Speaking further, Buhari called on all Nigerians to be united against terrorists and avoid unhelpful conspiracy theories that serve the interest of Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP.