The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has said the reason why Boko Haram is still terrorising Nigeria and taking over parts of the Nigerian territory was the weak Nigerian state.

The Emir, who reiterated his earlier call asking Muslims to defend themselves against the Boko Haram insurgency in parts of the country, said “the first responsibility of the state is to protect lives and properties of its citizens or it loses the basis of its existence.”

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said this at Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday at the closing ceremony of the 29th National Quranic Recitation,.

He said Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states and other parts of the country under regular Boko Haram attacks must be liberated, pointing out that “government must defeat Boko Haram.”

While saying that it was the duty of government to protect lives and properties of its citizens, Sanusi called on the people to stop running from the terrorists, who he saidwere projecting Islam in an ungodly manner.

“It is extremely important that we look at the Qur’anwhich provides the most noble of behaviours and characters,” he said, adding that selling freeborn into slavery, kidnapping of young girls and rape is un-Islamic.”.

Adapted from Sunday Tribune