Take it easy, new crusaders, by Odi Ikpeazu

If President Trump truly wants to assist Nigeria in the lingering fight against terrorism, it should be by way of conversation and not altercation.

The assymetricism of the war on these rogue elements has proven difficult for Nigeria’s orthodox armed forces. Therefore it is not entirely out of place should direct help be required from a military organisation that has had experience in such conflicts.

The US military immediately comes to mind in that respect, having severely dealt with ISIS as well as backed Israel to decimate Hamas and Hezbollah.

However, it is important that the US not be hoodwinked by Nigerian anarchists, bigots and separatists, into a path of action that dovetails into their sinister motives.

Unfortunately, there is a bad sign already that these opportunist elements seem to have sold Mr. Trump on the narrative that there is a religious war being waged by Muslims against Christians with the intention to obliterate them.

I come from a very Christian background, so much so that my father even built a church, which is run to this day by my brother. But I am objective and dispassionate enough to say immediately that there is no corporate Islamic genocidal policy towards Christians.

The extremist insurgency in Northern Nigeria has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, most of whom are actually Muslims. Most of the devastated states, mainly Borno, Adamawa and Yobe are majority Muslim. If churches have been attacked, mosques have been bombed as well.

Alleging an Islamic genocidal agenda against Christians in the North and Middle Belt, is as disingenuous as saying that there is an attempt by Christians to massacre fellow Christians in the South East in pursuit of a religious policy.

After all, the carnage that has ravaged the South East in the past decade has been perpetrated by Christians preponderantly against Christians. I should then adhere to the biblical injunction and remove the log in my eye first, otherwise I would be just another vindictive vermin.

If the United States is to intervene and avail us of their superior intelligence and weapons technology, by all means I believe we should take advantage of it and get it over with. However, let it be without bigoted belligerence or sectarian rancour.

Any such operations, if they materialize, have to be comprehensive and extended to wherever terror rears its head. It must be devoid of the primitive prejudice and jaundice of religion. May the bombs pulverize any terrorist enclaves wherever they are, whether in the North East or the South East, be the beasts Muslim or Christian, never minding if they are Kanuri or Igbo.