By Ishola Balogun and Ebun Babalola
Boko Haram members are not Muslims — Alhaji Muhammad Garuba Akinola Ibrahim, OON, Chief Imam of Lagos State.

The bombing in some parts of the country is condemnable and it stands condemned.  I want believe they are not Muslims. A true Muslim cannot do that, it is un-Islamic and it stands condemned.  Again, according to reports, they are foreigners, government should endeavour to unmask them.

All hands must be on deck to solve the security situation of the country. It is not the responsibility of government alone, every body must be involve to stop this trend of bombing and killings.

I also want to say that this should not be linked with Islam, Islam has no link with it either.  The bombing has nothing to do with the religion.  No religion tolerates killing of people by whatever means, they should learn to be tolerant and live with one and other peacefully.

Alhaji M Garuba Akinola Ibrahim, OON, Chief Imam of Lagos State (Centre) and other Imans

Again, education of the youths is central to a peaceful living among one and other in the area.  If they knew the socio-cultural and religious implications of what they had done, they most probably would not have contemplated it.

Government should investigate it properly and with all sincerity of purpose and apply the full weight of the law to those found culpable so as to serve as deterrent to others.  What they had done is against humanity and to Al-mighty Allah.

The Lagos state Central Mosque under my headship holds prayers for peace and stability of this country every Thursday and that will continue.  May Allah give the families of all those who had lost their lives and properties the tranquillity to bear the loss while we also pray that ALLAH restores all they had lost in the crisis. Amin.

If you kill a soul, you’d killed the whole world
—  Alhaji Abdul-Bari Yusuf Afini, Chairman Council of Imam, Eti-Osa and Chief Imam Olomu Community Central Mosque, Ajah

No soul should be killed unjustifiably.  Al-mighty Allah says in the Qur’an, if you kill a soul, it is as if you had killed the whole world.  And if you save a soul, it is as if you had saved the whole world.  Why should anybody kill another, why should there be a cause to bomb.  It is condemned and should not be linked with Islam.

Government has a duty to properly investigate it and come out with a report with a view to punishing offenders and serving as a deterrent to others.  Come to think of it, there is no religion that permits or preaches violence, I don’t understand why then any one will situate it with religion. We have not heard the report of the panel of enquiry over the post-election killings.  Government should come out with a report to tell the world who are the perpetrators. It is highly condemnable.

Let’s tolerate ourselves —  Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Ahmad Balogun, Chief Imam of Okera-nla

The act of bombing clearly negates the ruling of Allah and Islam.
The religion teaches peace between our neighbours and all members of the society irrespective of religious differences.  Islam does not teach us to kill one another.  Killing does not give anyone admittance into al-Janah as it is erroneously being disseminated by unbelievers.  There is no record of such in the Qur’an and the hadiths of the Prophet (s.a.w).

So, Muslims gain admittance into Al-Janah through the good deeds you put forth.  We should strive to put forth what is good and shun what is bad.  Violence, killing, destruction of properties are bad.  We are appealing to every body to keep calm and desist from any act of violence and let’s tolerate one another and live in peace.

That is why the council of Imam in Eti-Osa in conjunction with the World Research Peace held a one-day during the last election on peace.

We need the fear God —  Alhaj Imam Moshood Mudathir, Alamorieda, Chief Imam

The fear of God is not enough amongst us and that is why we allowed ourselves to be controlled by our anger instead of the other way round to destroy lives and properties.  Terrorism is not part of what Allah asks us to do in order to gain paradise. They are only doing their wish and not that of God.

I think their leaders and every household should help government to fish out these people. so, whatever we are doing to stop it, we need the fear of God.

Up-grade our security system now — Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, Archbishop of Catholic Church of Lagos.

It is rather unfortunate that a nation like Nigeria will be faced  with this kind of thing. I think, it all bores down to insecurity. The security system  in the country is tantamount to nothing because anybody can do anything at anytime and go scot-free.

It is only when the person is caught and if it happens to be a poor man, he will be dealt with and if he is a rich man who knows someone in the corridor of power, then he escapes. So, there is something wrong. We just have to try and do our best to ensure that nobody is above the law.  The security system has to be beefed up.

Another thing is that the equipment Nigerian Forces are using is not relevant to this generation. This is not the time, we should be talking about obsolete instrument. The Boko Haram are operating effectively while our Forces are not upgraded. We should be able to up-grade our security system. The Armed Forces should be trained and justice should be done when necessary.

There was a time, we heard of a ship loaded with ammunition landed in the country and till date, we don’t know what is happening to that ship.

If Jonathan is serious, the first thing he should is address the security of the nation. Nobody should be above the law in this country.

The message of peace is the summary of any good religious leader. No religious leader is in the position to preach the law of Karma.

Every religious leader should preach peace. He should be a leader that will be prepared to die for his people.  Any good religious leader must be able to defend his country.

Cardinal Okogie

I will not advise any dialogue with Boko Haram, rather, Nigerians should dialogue on how to move the security situation forward.  The Boko Haram people should be shown love and how to do things rightly. People who steal are not doing that because they want to steal. Likewise, the Boko Haram are not killing because they want to kill. It is probably because they feel they are being cheated or marginalised.

I’m afraid, if things are not put right, someone will bomb this country.  Nobody should claim ownership of any resources in this country.  Everything be at the reach of every Nigerian.