The Secretary-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, on Tuesday urged Nigerians to shun ethnic sentiments and rally round President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in its ongoing anti-corruption crusade.
Aliyu argued that Nigerians would continue to experience insecurity and wallow in abject poverty until the menace of corruption became a thing of the past in the governance of the country.
The JNI secretary general spoke as guest lecturer at the 5th Annual Ramadan Lecture of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council in Abeokuta.
The event had in attendance dignitaries, including a former deputy governor of the state, Senator Adegbenga Kaka; a House of Representatives member, Adekunle Akinlade and the Commandant, 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Alamala, Abeokuta, Brigadier-General Mohammed Danwalis.
Delivering his lecture entitled, “Islam and Human Security: Fundamental to Sustainable Development,” Aliyu described corruption as the bane of Nigeria’s development.
He faulted claims in certain quarters that the fight against corruption by Buhari government had been selective, adding that rather than casting aspersions, all well-meaning Nigerians should join hands with the administration to bring the menace to an end.
The Islamic cleric argued that it was the corrupt practices which attended the fight against insurgency that made the issue of Boko Haram to fester and become a major security challenge to the country.
Aliyu said, “All Nigerians should rally round the government in fighting this epidemic called corruption. Until our governance is free of corruption, people would continue to suffer human insecurity.
“The present government has come purposely to change the situation in the country. Corruption is not Yoruba or Hausa or Igbo; corruption does not know any tribe. It is a disease. Until we cure that disease, we will not be able to live peacefully.”
He enjoined Muslims and Christians to co-exist peacefully and work together to ensure the continued corporate existence of Nigeria.
The Islamic cleric also advised the media to eschew sensational reports, saying investigative journalism should rather be embraced by news administrators and professionals.
In his remarks, Akinlade, representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency, urged journalists to assist the government by disseminating the right information about the efforts being made towards having good governance.
The lawmaker, who was the chairman of the occasion, however regretted that the country’s resources had been mismanaged over the years, leaving the majority of the citizens to continue to grapple with hardship.
“During this process of change, the people might experience some level of hardship and discomfort but in the end, our nation will be better,” he said.
