Religious leaders react to Baga killings

Over 185 people were feared killed in the clash.

Some clerics on Thursday urged the military to apply the rules of engagement in tackling insurgency, with a view to avoiding civilian casualty.

The clerics said this in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, while reacting to the killing of over 185 people in Baga Town of Borno

More than 185 persons were feared dead in Baga Town in Borno during a clash between officers of the Joint task force and members of the Boko Haram sect last Friday.

The Executive Director of Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, said that it was sad that some citizens lost their lives in the name of terrorism.

He noted that there were rules of engagement and standards to be followed by the military to ensure that civilian casualties were avoided.

“This is democracy where there are rules of engagement or standards; military personnel should be able to put to practice those rules in tackling insurgency to prevent civilian casualty,” he said.

The Director of Social Communication, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Gabriel Osu, said that there should be strong security at the Nigerian borders to prevent illegal immigrants from coming in.

Mr. Osu prayed for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives, and wondered why suspected terrorist should use innocent civilians as shield.

“Immigration should be at its best to make sure that people don’t just cross the border anyhow, because we were told that it was caused by outsiders,” he said.

The National President of NASRUL-LAHI-FATIH Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Sherif Yussuf, commended the Federal Government for instituting an investigation into the cause of the crisis.

Mr. Yussuf urged the Federal Government to implement recommendations from the investigation, noting that human lives were sacred.

“Terrorism is a serious tragedy and it’s bad, in whatever we are using to combat terrorism, we should not sacrifice innocent lives. I support what the Federal Government has done, we have to get to the root of the problem, whether the military over reacted or over reached their limits,” he said.

Bayo Akinola, the Pastor of the Lord Mission Ministry International Church, urged the people in the area to fish out strangers among them and report them to security authorities for timely intervention.

“The residents should be able to fish out strangers among them, report them to law enforcement agents, so that they can be interrogated immediately,” he added.

(NAN)