It’s time to rise against Islamic State terrorists, SHAC tells world leaders

The Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has urged the international community to rise against the killings of innocent Nigerians by Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin region.

SHAC, which made the call at the weekend, said world leaders should act fast to curb activities of the terrorists around the Lake Chad Basin and the risk it poses to women and children.

Executive Director of the group, Grace Akatu, stated at a media briefing in Abuja that ISWAP’s activities around the Lake Chad Basin region have become a source of serious concern given the way and manner it has continued to kill innocent persons, especially women and children.

It, therefore, demanded urgent intervention from countries around the world to join forces with Nigeria to combat the menace of ISWAP around the Lake Chad basin.

“ISWAP activities have constituted a huge threat to economies of countries around the Lake Chad basin such as Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, hence the need for urgent intervention to address the menace ISWAP poses in the Lake Chad Basin region.

“Nigeria cannot address the ISWAP challenge alone. It behooves on all well-meaning countries to join forces with Nigeria in confronting the terrorist organisation.

“SHAC believes that if the activities of ISWAP are not curtailed, peace and meaningful development might elude the countries in the Lake Chad Basin region and beyond.

“The atrocities committed by ISWAP in the region are unimaginable and should be of great concern to lovers of peace and sustainable development around the world,” the group stated.

It urged all countries in the world and international humanitarian organisations to see ISWAP’s threat as a global threat rather than a regional one because of the support it enjoys from terrorist networks around the world.

The group also enjoined the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates to rise up to the challenge to ensure that the world becomes a better place where women, children and the vulnerable are protected from harm.

“We restate that Nigeria’s effort should be complemented to rid ISWAP of the Lake Chad Basin region in the overall interest of peace. We believe that the situation requires necessary support the world could give Nigeria in the quest to defeat terrorism in the country. The world must act fast,” it added.