It's an insult on Islam to categorise members of the Boko Haram sect as Muslims - Borno Governor

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has said it is an insult on Islam to categorise members of the Boko Haram sect as Muslims.







Shettima, who spoke to our correspondent in Washington DC , United States yesterday, said the insurgents have degenerated into a cult and resorted into extortions and kidnappings to fund their activities.



He said: “I am strongly of the opinion that the Boko Haram which has degenerated more into a cult, because I believe it’s an insult, am a Muslim, it is an insult on the religion of Islam to categorise them as Muslims.



“They have degenerated into some sort of a cult , resorting into extortions, kidnappings, and Ibelieve they are funding much of their activities through those barbaric activities. You cannot rule out even their involvement in drugs because they are into anything.



“They have veered off course; they ‘re more of a gang of criminals, nihilist, of lunatics, hell bent on inflicting pain and destruction on the people.”



Shettima, who is in the US with other northern governors on the invitation of the United States Institute of Peace for a three-day symposium, said the Boko Haram predates the coming to power of his predecessor, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff.



According to him, Boko Haram insurgency originated in Kanamma village in Yobe State in 2001, when a group of young men went and carved out a territory for themselves and called it an Islamic territory. He said there is a lot of correlation between the poverty that has engulfed the Northeast and the Boko Haram insurgency because the World Bank described the Republic of Chad, the Republic of Niger, and the Daffur region of Sudan as one of the poorest places on earth.



source: nigerianeye