The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky has alleged that France and America could cause rift between Nigeria and Niger Republic over initial planned military action in Niger by Nigeria as a way to compel the military junta to return power to an elected President.
El-Zakzaky emphasised this when addressing students from Hauza (Islamic Seminary) in his Abuja residence.
His statement stated that “There can’t be a ‘war’ without a ‘disagreement’. Just like that? (For no reason?)”
“I was once retelling something (a proverbial saying) I heard, (and) someone said, ‘Even in the village, if you hear of a feud between two brothers, then you should investigate. (There’d be a high probability of) the involvement of the English.’ He continued, ‘(This is because) wherever they go, they sow discord (and cause fights/feuds). It’s their style; they’ve used it for a long time. That’s how they conquer nations, by causing conflicts within (them)”.
“Has a war ever occurred between peaceful neighbours when there’s no disagreement between us? We’ve become one, peacefully living in harmony. How can we just plunge into war one day?”
“This Bazoum is a human being, not a mountain. You know, it’s when you’re fighting over a mountain that after conquering your adversary, you can claim (control over) the mountain, right? He’s not a river, either, which could be seized from opponents. Well, do they expect that while knowing Bazoum is with them, then they’d go and rain fire on them, forcing them to say, ‘Here’s your Bazoum’?”
“Their folly is apparent: for example, they implied wanting to reinstate Bazoum (as president). If they’re to go (into Niger) and do that, since he’s still alive in the hands of the military, after ‘rescuing’ and reinstating him, would they love to Nigeria? Or would they stay there to ‘ensure’ that Bazoum’s rule is moving ‘smoothly’? Or would there be no soldiers in Niger apart from them?”
“I’m sure their concern is not (for) Bazoum. What they’re concerned with is sowing discord and sparking conflict, so they can destroy these two countries (Niger and Nigeria) in order to loot their resources. That’s it.”
“Well, what I fear for us is the imminence of a purported ‘attack from Niger’. If we are attacked, we know who’d attack us: America and France, not Niger!”
“Likewise, if Niger is attacked, it wouldn’t be the work of Nigeria; but (that of) America and France. Why? They don’t need our existence; they want the wealth beneath our feet (our mineral resources), and that is what drew them (to us). But we hope that Allah will protect us.”
“And I daresay, I am not only warning that they could cause a rift between ‘Niger’ and ‘Nigeria’; they could also cause internal conflicts in each of the two. They could trigger a ‘tribal’ conflict within Niger, capitalising on Bazoum’s ethnicity, and pitting them against other ethnic groups, just like they did in Sudan, between the ‘Dinka’ and the ‘Nuer’. Well, they could do that.”
“And in Nigeria too, they could create a scenario whereby a faction would claim ‘secession’, such that an internal conflict would be propagated. It turned out that there was also a domestic fight in Nigeria. It’ll all be in their favour. The internal conflict could be in the form of a North-South feud, or perhaps the secession of the South-Eastern region of the country.”
“You understand, right? There are already people calling for secession. In such a way, the country may be split into three or four. And even in the North, they could cause conflict on the basis of religious differences (between Muslims and Christians). They could spark all these, therefore, be careful!”
“The people of Niger especially, shouldn’t allow themselves be plunged into tribal wars. Because they’re one community. None but Allah created those (ethnic groups). In the words of Allah (SWT) sent through the noble Prophet Muhammad, He said: ‘Wa ja’alnakum shu’uban wa qaba’ila li ta’aarqfu.’
“(Based on the verse), Allah created different (tribes or ethnic groups so they may know (be acquainted with) one another, not so they may fight one another. Hence, we all should be careful so we don’t fall into their trap (of pitting one against the other) on the basis of tribal differences.”
“Meanwhile, we over here shouldn’t allow them to trigger an internal crisis between the North and the South or cause internal conflict between the South and the North, Muslims and Christians, or among different ethnic groups.”
“What we can say is that our greatest weapon is return to Allah (prayer, repentance). Let’s turn to Allah, praying in humble tones, because the Almighty can nullify any of their vicious plots.”
“The people of ‘Aad’ once said, ‘Who (could be) stronger than us?’”
“In response, Allah said, ‘Don’t they see that their Creator is stronger than them?’”
“That’s right. Allah is stronger than them. Almighty Allah will certainly protect us with His protection, by His will”.
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