By Prof Abiodun Ojo
Nigeria has endured yet another horrifying week of violence and mass abductions perpetrated by extremist groups hiding behind a false Islamic identity. The scale and frequency of these attacks—occurring in just a single week—are shocking and destabilizing.
Yet perhaps even more troubling than the bloodshed is the near-complete silence from several apex Islamic organisations whose moral authority could meaningfully challenge extremist narratives. While millions of Nigerian Muslims condemn terrorism in their hearts, what is missing is sustained, collective, public condemnation from the most influential Islamic bodies.
Extremists exploit this silence. They weaponize the absence of resistance.
A Catalogue of Horror in Just One Week
The tragedy of the past week includes:
- Brigadier General Uba and three soldiers abducted and publicly executed in Borno State.
- 64 civilians kidnapped in Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State.
- 25 female students and their Principal abducted in Maga, Kebbi State; the Vice Principal killed.
- 38 worshippers abducted from a church in Eruku, Kwara State.
- One policeman killed in Geidam, Yobe State.
- 8 Civilian Joint Task Force members killed and 3 abducted in Gwoza, Borno State.
- 15 people abducted, including nursing mothers and babies, and two killed in Sabon Birni, Sokoto State.
- 4 rice farmers murdered in Edu, Kwara State.
- 315 students abducted from a Catholic school in Agwara, Niger State.
These are not isolated events—they are part of a systematic campaign of terror. No responsible nation can watch such coordinated brutality unfold without demanding a unified, courageous moral response.
Why the Voice of Moderate Muslims Matters
Terrorists claim legitimacy from Islam; therefore, Muslim leaders must be the first and loudest to denounce them. It is not enough to quietly disapprove. Public leadership is required.
Around the world, Muslim-majority countries have demonstrated that when Islamic scholars, political leaders, and community institutions speak clearly and consistently, extremist ideology withers. Nigeria cannot remain an exception.
Examples of Muslim-Majority Countries That Successfully Confronted Extremism Through Public Leadership
1. Saudi Arabia – The “Sahwa Reversal” and Public Clerical Consensus
Saudi Arabia radically reduced extremist influence by:
- Launching public theological counter-narratives against extremist ideology.
- Directing top clerics to issue repeated, forceful fatwas declaring terrorism haram (forbidden).
- Implementing community-level de-radicalization programs guided by respected scholars.
The result: terrorist recruitment and attacks dropped sharply because extremists lost the theological space to operate.
2. Indonesia – The World’s Largest Muslim Population United Against Extremism
Indonesia defeated several extremist networks by:
- Mobilizing Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, the two largest Muslim bodies, to publicly reject extremist interpretations.
- Making anti-extremist sermons, public campaigns, and community debates a national habit.
- Creating a strong alliance between imams, schools, and government security institutions.
Public Islamic leadership—not force alone—discredited extremist ideology.
3. Morocco – A Model of State-Led Religious Guidance
Morocco built one of the world’s most respected anti-extremist frameworks by:
- Establishing the Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams, exporting moderate scholarship across Africa.
- Centralizing religious authority to ensure uniform, authentic Islamic teaching nationwide.
- Publicly disciplining or removing clerics who spread extremist ideas.
Morocco’s approach is now studied globally as a success story in Islamic-led counter-extremism.
4. Jordan – “Amman Message” and Public Clarity on Islamic Orthodoxy
Jordan’s global initiative, the Amman Message, publicly clarified:
- Who qualifies as an Islamic scholar.
- Which interpretations are legitimate.
- A categorical rejection of violent extremism.
- This unified message, endorsed by scholars across 50+ Muslim countries, became a powerful tool against extremist narratives.
5. Egypt – Al-Azhar’s Continual, Public Condemnation of Terrorism
Al-Azhar University, the world’s oldest Islamic authority:
- Issues constant, highly publicized condemnations of terrorism.
- Publishes scholarly refutations of extremist ideology.
- Trains imams to counter radicalization at the grassroots.
- Their public stance denies extremists any doctrinal foothold.
Nigeria Must Learn From These Examples
These countries succeeded because their Islamic leadership refused silence and ambiguity. They understood that terrorism is not defeated by military power alone but by moral power, religious clarity, and public resistance from within the Muslim community.
Nigeria can and must follow this path.
What Nigeria’s Islamic Leaders Must Do Now
- Speak loudly, consistently, and immediately.
Every attack must be condemned publicly—not after weeks, not ambiguously, not quietly.
- Reclaim Islamic doctrine from extremists.
Mosques, Islamic centres, and schools must combat extremist teachings with authentic scholarship.
- Partner with government and other faith leaders.
A multi-faith, united front is essential for delegitimizing extremist narratives.
- Launch national campaigns led by Muslim scholars.
Public lectures, media messaging, community tours, and youth-focused outreach are crucial.
Conclusion: Silence Is No Longer an Option
Nigeria’s ongoing tragedy shows that terrorism cannot be defeated through weapons alone. The war against extremist ideology must be led—boldly—by Nigeria’s peace-loving Muslim majority.
Every attack in the past week cries out for moral leadership.
Every victim deserves national solidarity.
And every Nigerian deserves a future where extremists cannot hide behind religion.
May God save Nigeria.
May God strengthen those who stand for peace, justice, and unity.
- Prof Abiodun Ojo.
