Members of the Ansaru terrorist group have now become constituted authorities in many villages in the Birnin Gwari Municipality of Kaduna State, urging the helpless residents to rebel against the government at the time.
According to report from Within Nigeria, the group’s strategy of pitting the citizenry against the government was the subject of its public sermon on the occasion of the Eid el-Kabir festival.
They try to persuade and impose their anti-democracy, anti-education, and governmental stance on the locals.
Unlike what they did during the Eid el-Fitr festival just over two months ago, when they simply walked through the communities sharing sweets and other edibles as gifts from Sallah, this time the terrorists took their time interacting with the locals and urging them to acquire weapons and start a rebellion against the government.
They also assured them protection from bandits.
In a two-page pamphlet, the terrorist group berated President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, saying it had failed to protect people’s lives and property and urging them not to fall for the call to bring about change through any electoral process.
Witnesses said the terrorists had been preaching their anti-government and anti-democracy stance without caution from everywhere since Eid el-Kabir Sallah Day (Saturday).
Villages they visited in Birnin Gwari LGA on Monday included Damari, Unguwar Gajere, Kakini, Kuyello and Kwasa Kwasa.
“During their spread, the terrorists, who are mostly young men, moved on dozens of motorcycles decorated with flags with Arabic inscriptions,” the Daily Trust quoted a source familiar with the development as saying.
“They have tongue-lashed federal, state and local governments, arguing that democracy is against the tenets of Islam.
They also summoned Muslim clerics to call for prayers for democratic leaders.
“But the most dangerous trend this time is the terrorists’ call for people to get guns and fight the government.
“They support their claims by misinterpreting some verses of the Holy Quran and prophetic statements.
They say people will continue to suffer until they violently change their leaders,” the source said.
