Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has reversed his earlier statement about being an Islamic extremist, clarifying that he has many Christian friends.
His initial tweet, made days ago, triggered outrage among Nigerians after he expressed pride in being called an Islamic extremist and praised Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader killed by Israeli soldiers in October.
Ahmad’s post on X was particularly controversial as it followed the deadly terrorist attack in Germany by a Saudi-born doctor, which claimed the lives of five people, including a nine-year-old boy.
This raised concerns about potential links between some government officials and terrorism in Nigeria.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Ahmad explained that his previous words had been taken out of context and reiterated his firm condemnation of terrorism in Nigeria, expressing no apologies for his stance against it.
“I am aware that many of you have labeled me as an extremist a very long time ago simply because I hold onto my beliefs firmly and unapologetically. So, the thing you should know is that, if standing uncompromisingly in my faith makes you uncomfortable, so be it. There is absolutely nothing that can be done about it,” he wrote.
Mr. Ahmad further stated that any form of terrorism contradicts the principles of justice and respect for human life, accusing unidentified individuals of using religious blackmail.
“In my circle, both within and outside this country, I have several Christians, followers of other religions, and even those who don’t believe in any religion. If anyone deserves my explanation, it would be these individuals, and thank God they know me well enough that no explanation is necessary,” he added.
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