Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has canvassed religious education by cleric to counter terrorism and extremism.
Buratai in a remark at a seminar on Countering Insurgency and Violent Extremism in Nigeria through authentic religious enlightenment, organised for religious and community leaders in Borno weekend, said clerics have greater role to play in the education of youths against wrong narratives of terrorists especially Boko Haram.
“There is the need for intellectual discourse to counter extremist ideology by engaging the religious and community leaders,” the COAS represented by Army Director Islamic Affairs, Brig Gen. SG Mustafa said.
He explained that the seminar was in continuation of previous efforts at producing appropriate narrative to counter the wrong religious ideologies being used by the insurgents and terrorists. “It is a fall out of the initial programme of counter narratives conducted in 2018 which generated enthusiasm from leaders in Borno State,” he explained.