Out of the Spotlight: As Much Murder as Inside the Spotlight.

As much as our attention has been taken up by the horror in Nairobi, there were atrocities just as gruesome & savage committed on the same continent in the preceding days, & by adherents to the same religion. But we didn't hear anything about the horrors visited upon innocent motorists on the main road between Maiduguri & Damaturu, on the Tuesday before, (17th inst) or on the road between Maiduguri & Bamboa on the following Thursday. It could be that the oh-so-liberal television media did not consider this horror as important as Nairobi, because – for all their preaching about equality & political correctness – there were no Westerners involved.

This, from All Africa on Friday (hat-tip to Tesh Punja @HiteshPunja):

Nigeria: Benisheik Attack Death Toll Now 161 Maiduguri — Environmental officers yesterday recovered 87 more corpses of travelers killed by suspected Boko Haram gunmen during an attack on Maiduguri-Damaturu road near Benisheik town in Borno State on Tuesday. This was in addition to 55 bodies earlier picked up on Wednesday, officials of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) told journalists during a visit by Governor Kashim Shettima to the scene of the violence. Heavily armed insurgents laid siege on Benisheik, Kaga Local Government Area on Tuesday evening, killing people and setting buildings ablaze. They also blocked the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway, three kilometers away from the town, sorting out and slaughtering dozens of travelers. Apart from the 142 travellers, also killed in the attack were 2 soldiers, 3 policemen and 14 villagers,bringing the total death toll to 161. Yesterday, Shettima visited Benisheik where he condoled with the people and offered compensation to victims of the violence. Saidu Yakubu, a senior BOSEPA official, who briefed Shettima at the highway killing spot, later told journalists "87 bodies were recovered in the bush and our people are still searching for more." Environmental assistant Abdulaziz Kolomi said, "Apart from the dead bodies recovered today (Thursday), we collected 55 on Wednesday and the fact is that we did not go deep into the bush where I strongly believe that many people have fallen there." Our correspondent, who was in the convoy of the governor, saw two refuse compactor trucks loaded with decomposing bodies. Soldiers and policemen were seen providing security as environmental officers pull out dead bodies from the surrounding bushes. During Shettima's visit, he was told that apart from the dead travelers, two soldiers, three policemen and 14 villagers were also killed by the insurgents who stormed the town in a convoy of over 20 vehicles. Shettima, who was visibly shaken by the carnage, urged the residents to persevere and stop fleeing. "What happened is barbaric and un-Islamic," he said. "No one in his right senses will destroy the houses of the poor and their source of livelihood. God is with you, the people of Benisheik, and will liberate you from the hands of the wicked." Shettima announced the release of N50 million for the rebuilding of over 100 houses and shops burnt in the town. He also approved N3.5 million to be shared among the families of the 14 people killed in the town. He said in addition to the cash donation, assorted food items would be distributed to them to cushion the effect of the attacks. He also announced the setting up of a 5-member committee to carry out an in-depth assessment and recommend measures to enhance surveillance. Shettima said government appreciated the efforts of vigilantes known as 'Civilian JTF' and announced the release of two Hilux patrol vehicles for them. Brigadier General Mohammed Yusuf of the 21 Armoured Brigade, who briefed the governor in the town, said soldiers stationed in Benisheik ran out of ammunitions and this forced them to leave their places of duty during the incident. "Our men did not desert Benisheik, they would be back latest by Friday (today) after full reinforcement," he said. Another officer, Colonel Babalola, who briefed Shettima at the military base in the town which was also bombed by the insurgents, said, "Three policemen and two soldiers lost their lives during the encounter." A soldier who spoke to correspondents in confidence said the insurgents had superior power. "The terrorists were using anti-aircraft guns while we were using AK47 rifles and some RPGs. They came in droves, driving about 20 pick-up trucks accompanied with two light-armored tankers, all wearing military colors. We had to retreat to our base to reinforce after running out of ammunition," he said. "However, they followed us down and surrounded our base and began to shell our building. We couldn't stand the heat of their superior fire power. We had to retreat into the village after they killed two of our soldiers and three policemen." The soldier said after the siege, the insurgents took away an armoured tank and four pick-up vehicles painted in military colours from the base. Villagers who insisted on leaving Benisheik yesterday said the Federal Government was not sensitive to their plight. "We are being killed by insurgents who live in the bushes but the some people in Abuja are saying they are winning the war, how?" asks Kande Ali, a mother of five. "We have to relocate to safer places," she added.

There is always someone telling us that the latest atrocity committed by Muslims is "barbaric & un-Islamic" as a certain Mr Shettima has done in the report. Barbaric, yes, in spades, but un-Islamic? Violence & murder are as Islamic as the Koran, as it says in the Koran:

And kill them wherever you find & catch them. Drive them out from where they have turned you out; for Fitna is worse than slaughter. 2:191 Allah wished to confirm the truth by His words: 'Wipe the infidels out to the last.' Koran 8:7 Your Lord inspired the angels with the message: 'I am with you. Give firmness to the Believers. I will terrorise the unbelievers. Therefore smite them on their necks & every joint & incapacitate them. Strike off their heads & cut off each of their fingers & toes.' Koran 8:12 So fight them until there is no more Fitna & all submit to the religion of Allah alone. 8:39 Fight & kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait & ambush them using every stratagem of war. 9:5 Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the last day, nor do they prohibit what Allah & His Messenger have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the jizya in acknowledgement of superiority & they are in a state of subjection. 9:29 The Messenger & those who believe with him, strive hard & fight with their wealth & lives in Allah's Cause. 9:88 Allah has purchased the believers, their lives & their goods. For them (in return) is the Garden. They fight in Allah's Cause, & they slay & are slain; they kill & are killed. 9:111 Truly, if the Hypocrites stir up sedition, if the agitators in the City do not desist, We shall urge you to go against them & set you over them. Then they will not be able to stay as your neighbours for any length of time. They shall have a curse on them. Whenever they are found, they shall be seized & slain without mercy – a fierce slaughter – murdered, a horrible murdering. 33:60 So, when you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle, smite their necks until you overpower them, killing & wounding many of them. At length, when you have thoroughly subdued them, bind them firmly, making captives. Thereafter, either generosity or ransom until the war lays down its burdens. Thus are you commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam. 47:4

The official Arabic name for Boko Haram is, "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad", which means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings & Jihad" & for all the taqiyya practiced by Muslims around the world, it is when they are in their element, on the safe end of a gun, when they never say a truer word.