Igbo Leaders: Boko Haram was the brain-child of Sharia Law

Igbo leaders claim that the introduction of Sharia law in Zamfara during the administration of former Governor Sani Yerima is responsible for the emergence of Boko Haram.

PUNCH reports that Leaders of thirteen Igbo socio-political groups arrived at the conclusion during a meeting in Enugu. Issuing a communique after the meeting, the group expressed support for President Goodluck Jonathan, they said, ''This Government did not create this Islamist insurgency.

 

The government have suffered attacks from protectors and sympathizers of Boko Haram, who at one time threatened to drag the head of the army to the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

''The deliberate attempt to brand the government as weak and inept while pretending to conveniently forget that some people inspired this madness by forcefully attempting to introduce a religious code 14 years ago, is wicked and devilish. The Boko Haram boys who were probably teenagers 14 years ago, when Sharia code was launched, are now only trying to help former Governor Sani Yerima of Zamfara complete what he started in year 2000.”

The Igbo groups represented at the meeting include; Igbo Leaders of Thought, South East Elders Forum, Igbo Youth Movement, Movement for the Emancipation of the Sovereign Republic of Biafra, Ohaneze Overseas Forum, Ohaneze Youth Alliance, Igbo Traders Congress, Igbo Women Assembly, Igbo Students Congress, South East Professionals, South East/South South Alliance, Civil and Human Right Forum and World Igbo Diaspora Congress.