We are no terrorists, Senate says
28 Dec 2009
Author: Emmanuel Ogala
Country: Nigeria
The Nigerian Senate on Sunday asked the international community not to associate the "horrible conduct" of Abdoul Farouk Abdulmutallab on Christmas day with other Nigerians.
The spokesman of the Senate, Ayogu Eze, who said this in a statement, also said the Senate "condemns this strange act of terrorism from a Nigerian in very strong terms. We ask the world to treat him on his own merit and not associate this horrible conduct with law abiding Nigerians who are decent and respectable international citizens wherever they are."
Nigerians abhor terrorism
Mr. Eze said senators were at a loss as to where the suspect got the inspiration for this action from as "Nigeria abhors terrorism in all its ramifications. The Senate frowns at this isolated, unfortunate incident."
Other Nigerians have also risen to condemn the "un-Nigerian" action of Mr. Abdulmutallab.
A group called "We condemn Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's Action: Nigerians are not terrorists" was created by a man called Henry Omoregie on the popular social networking site Facebook, to condemn the act shortly after the incident.
5000 members have already signed up to join the condemnation less than 72 hours after its creation.
A ‘lone numbskull'
Mr. Omoregie said the group was formed to "condemn the behaviour of a lone numbskull who has just dragged Nigeria's already sodden image more into the mud."
Mr. Mutallab's actions have also been condemned by the federal government as well as his parents who say they had earlier warned the U.S. embassy about his extreme religious views.
NAN also reports that residents of Funtua in Katsina State, the home town of the young man, have joined other Nigerians in condemning his action.
The district head of Funtua, Sambo Idris, expressed shock and regret. He cautioned parents in sponsoring their children's education abroad at an early age and asked them to impart "moral training" in their children.
A Funtua-based Islamic scholar, Aminu Liman, condemned any terror act, describing it as un-Islamic. According to him, no Islamic institution teaches terrorism.
A 35-year-old, Basiru Hamza, who claimed to have known Mutallab for 18 years, said he might have been misled.
But the senator, Mr. Eze, was emphatic. "We condemn this naked attempt to smear the image of our dear country. Nobody should import fundamentalism into Nigeria under any guise," he said.
