Going by the spate of attacks by Boko Haram in the North East part of the country, the Federal Government on Thursday said the terrorist group deserved no pity from the international community.
The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali stated this in Abuja while responding to a remark by a delegation from Denmark, led by a member of parliament, Mrs. Gjerskov Mette.
He said, “As far as security issue is concerned, Nigeria is very concerned not only in the region but internationally. When you see what is happening with Boko haram, where a group of rogues will move into a school with kids sleeping, go in and slaughter them, I don’t think anyone in this world will insist on implementing human rights. I will certainly go against that”.
Wali said, “For any human being to go and do that kind of thing, what kind of human rights are we talking about. I don’t think those kind of people are qualified. The kind of situation we see happening in our country is such that has never happened before”.
Appraising the way and manner suspected Boko Haram members had been prosecuted in accordance with the law which presumed suspected insurgents innocent until proven guilty, the minister said Nigeria had been tolerant with the group.
“There is no extra judicial killing of extremists except in the field of combat”.
Wali, who said no country enjoyed freedom of speech more than Nigeria, however, warned that the country would resist pressure from the West to allow same-sex marriage.
President Goodluck Jonathan on January 7 signed the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2013, into law, which makes it a criminal offence to engage in or support homo-sexual activities in the country.
The United States, Canada and the European Union have openly expressed concern over the law with the U.S Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, vowing that her country would pressure Nigeria into reversing the anti-gay law.
But Amb. Wali maintained that the notion contradicted the beliefs, culture and ways of Nigerians.
