Buhari says Nigeria has joined the Islamic coalition against terror

President Buhari during his recent interview with Al Jazeerah, said Nigeria has joined the Islamic Coalition against terrorism being championed by Saudi Arabia. 

“We are part of it because we’ve got terrorists in Nigeria that everybody knows which claim that they are Islamic. So, if there’s an Islamic coalition to fight terrorism, Nigeria will be part of it because we are casualties of Islamic terrorism,” he said

When asked whether Nigeria joined the coalition during his meeting with King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz of Saudi Arabia recently, Buhari said “yes.”

Buhari queried the position of some Christians in Nigeria who have opposed Nigeria joining the coalition. He wondered why such Christians had not gone to fight Boko Haram in the North or militants in the South.

“Why can’t those Christians that complained go and fight terrorism in Nigeria or fight the militancy in the South. It’s Nigeria that matters, not the opinion of some religious bigots,” he said

On whether he was trying to change the religious identity of the country, Buhari noted: “How can I change the religious identity of Nigeria? No religion advocates hurting the innocent and just because the Muslims are the ones that claim to be Boko Haram and they are killing innocent people whether in the church, in the bus or in the market place, then I will just sit and look at them because I too am a Muslim? Islam is against injustice in any form.”he said