LAGOS
One of southwestern Nigeria's most prominent monarchs, or traditional rulers, has described the Boko Haram militant group as a "tool" used to discredit President Goodluck Jonathan.
"Boko Haram is not fighting [for] the cause of Islam, of which I am a strong adherent," Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of southwestern Nigeria's Oyo, wrote in a letter to the president.
"[Islam] is a religion of peace which forbids and abhors [the] killing of any human soul," he said, referring to a recent deadly attack in capital Abuja in which 75 people were killed.
"In other words, the Boko Haram warfare is not fighting the cause of Islam, but rather [it's] a political tool in the hands of those that do not wish you and your government well," Adeyemi said.
He went on to call for "enhancement of intelligence and logistics" in order to stamp out the insurgency.
The Alaafin, which literally means man of the palace in the Yoruba language, is considered the grand custodian of the culture and traditions of the Yoruba people, Nigeria's most cosmopolitan tribe, which controls the country's economy and media.
Adeyemi urged President Jonathan to ally with neighboring countries with a view to ending the insurgency in the country's north.
"The Boko Haram's senseless and unreasonable warfare has taken an international dimension," he said.
The traditional ruler urged Jonathan to "seek the support and cooperation of the international communities – most especially our neighbors Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad – to put an end to this threat [to] the sovereignty and security of Nigeria."
Allegations of a political conspiracy against Jonathan – coming from such a prominent figure from the country's south, where opposition to the president is almost total – will likely hearten Jonathan's supporters.
It will most likely, however, expose the Alaafin to considerable public criticism in the days ahead.
Nigeria's leading opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), controls five of the country's six southwestern states.
Oyo State, in which Adeyemi is the top traditional ruler, is currently controlled by the APC, which has yet to respond to his controversial remarks.
More than 1500 people have been killed this year alone in attacks blamed on Boko Haram insurgents.
Boko Haram first emerged in the early 2000s as a group focused on preaching against government misrule and corruption.
Following a jailbreak in Bauchi, a subsequent crackdown and the killing of group leader Mohammed Yusuf in police custody, the group became violent.
In the years since, it has been blamed for attacking places of worship and government institutions, along with thousands of deaths.
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