The presidency has played down the fears of the Nigerian Christians that the country is on the verge of being islamized as insinuated by prominent religious leaders.
The senior special assistant President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Mr Garba Shehu has spoken on the reason why Buhari added Nigeria to the Islamic Coalition against terrorism.
Buhari's decision has generated a lot of furore amongst Nigerians, with many accusing the president of wanting to turn the country into an Islamic nation.
”With the rise of the Boko Haram terrorist group of the past few years, Nigeria faces a threat such as no other in its entire history and existence. Desperate times require desperate, unusual, measures.” Shehu wrote in a statement.
He cited the fact that that President Buhari accepted the offer of assistance from G7 countries from the West at the commencement of his administration, adding that religion was not a consideration then.
He wondered why religion is now an issue as the president decided to embrace help in fighting terror from the Middle-East region.
"The safety of Nigerians and the total annihilation of Boko Haram is of more important than the unfounded worries of Nigeria’s so-called Islamisation.
"Our Commander-in-Chief has sought help where he believes our country will benefit and the religious affiliation or ideology of our benefactors should not be the paramount consideration.
"The fears that our country’s membership in this coalition will draw Islamic State, ISIS’s attention to Nigeria are too late,” he said.
As the president has repeatedly maintained, it is Boko Haram that proclaimed allegiance to ISIS, thereby dragging us into the global terrorism network, part of the statement read.
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