By James Orji
President Muhammadu Buhari must not recognise the new government of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Kingsley Moghalu a former presidential candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, has warned.
The Taliban militants designated as a terrorist organisation, on Sunday swept into power after the president of the country fled amidst chaotic situations, as many Afghans are desperately trying to flee the country to escape reprisal from the militants who have now declared an Islamic Caliphate.
The Taliban has assured the international community that no reprisal attacks against the citizens of the country. It has called for a smooth transition of power from the former administration.
It has also called on the civil servants to go back to work after declaring a general amnesty for all. But some reports claimed that the militants have invaded and looted homes, amidst growing fear that those designated as opposition are being killed
Speaking on the issue, Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN said Nigeria must learn serious lessons from the way Taliban swept to power, particularly at a time when the nation’s security forces are battling Boko Haram and ISWAP in the north east.
He said the situation in Afghanistan is an important lesson for Nigeria, noting that religious fundamentalism, as seen in the activities of Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), does not bode well for the nation.
According to his Twitter posts, the banker turned politician said Taliban are a designated terrorist organisation and as such, must not be recognised by the federal government as a legitimate government.
Moghalu said: “Recent events in Afghanistan, where the fundamentalist and terrorism-incubating Taliban has taken over the country, carries important lessons for Nigeria. Religious fundamentalism is dangerous and tends to verge into terrorism as we see with BH, ISWAP etc.
“We must stop cuddling so-called “repentant” Boko Haram. Which serious country absorbs erstwhile terrorists into its armed forces
“Nigeria and its @NGRPresident and @NigeriaGov must never recognize or deal with the Taliban. We can never be a theocracy. What has happened in Afghanistan is possible only because of its monolithic religious makeup.
“The Government of a multi-religious country that is constitutionally a secular state must never tolerate some of its members harboring and expressing sympathy for globally recognized terrorist groups, while political dissenters are very quickly branded terrorists.”
He explained that various political interests in Nigeria must resolve their differences, so as not to plunge the country into civil war, adding that the people of Nigeria must work out their destiny as a sovereign nation.
If Nigeria is thrown into civil war, he warned, no world power will come to the rescue.
He said “The other lesson from this is that the destiny of any country will ultimately be decided by its own people. Clearly, many Afghans are quite comfortable with the Taliban, while a minority are opposed to them.
“American intervention in 2004 that dislodged them from power was clearly unpopular with the locals, and Washington has decided to leave the Afghans to their fate. If Nigeria breaks down into civil war and violence, no one is coming here to save anyone. We will ALL suffer the consequences,” he added.
“A word is enough for the wise on all sides of our political divides, whether “this” or “that”. Violence destroys, does not pay, and is destructive. It is only permissible in self-defense.
“The characteristic of a failing state is when non-state actors use it without consequence. That is Nigeria today. Can we turn this ship around? Certainly. But not without Nigerians citizens taking their destiny in their own hands and voting massively for democratic change to a competent government that can protect our territory and our citizens.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden of the United States of America, USA said he stand by his decision that Afghans should resolve the problems facing their country. He made the comment on the heels of criticism against his government for withdrawing troops from the troubled nation.
