Swiss ambassador to Nigeria, Hans-Rudolf Hodel, on yesterday visited Leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, His Eminence Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky and condoled him over the kilpling of 34 members of the Islamic Movement, including 3 of the Shaikh’s sons.
In a statement signed by the movement’s spokesman Ibrahim Usman, Shaikh Zakzaky briefly narrated how the incident happened and the government’s silence, after the panel of inquiry set to investigate the issue.
The ambassador wondered how such extra-judicial killing could go unaddressed and unpunished, despite the glaring evidences to support claims of the victims.
He praised Shaikh Zakzaky’s unprecedented restraint, which he said was worthy of emulation.
Mr. Hodel used the opportunity to discuss the security challenge in the country, and asked Shaikh Zakzaky’s view on the wave of insurgency in Nigeria in the name of Boko Haram.
Shaikh Zakzaky told the ambassador that Boko Haram, like other terrorists cell labeled with Islamic name, is an American creation meant to achieve a selfish agenda.
He said, part of the agenda was to siphon the country’s rich resources, adding that in all the areas where the insurgents are unleashing terror lies abundant resources which they cart away to the desired destination.
Shaikh Zakzaky wondered why the Americans could not find a safer way of siphoning Nigeria’s without killing innocent citizens and giving Islam a bad name.
He however said, there has to be always a smokescreen to justify atrocities of the western countries on weaker but rich nations, hence the creation of insurgents like Boko Haram and ISIS.
Mr. Hode asked why the Nigerian government is now fighting back Boko as US is doing to ISIS.
Shaikh Zakzaky pointed out that, in most cases covert operations of such magnitude backfires or go out of hand, and that government must be seen to be doing something as a show of concern.
At the end of the visit Shaikh Zakzaky presented a souvenir to the Swiss envoy.
