A 35-year old man, Raphael, has raised the alarm
over threats by members of Boko Haram militants to kill him.
He
also narrated how the Boko Haram sect burnt his stores, father’s house,
offices, and thereafter killed one of his cousins, an undergraduate at
the University of Maiduguri.
Trouble started when he converted to the Christian faith contrary to the wishes of his father, and other relatives.
A few months after my conversion to Christianity, I received several
threats and warnings from the insurgents, telling me to revert to my
former religion or face dire consequences,” he told National Mirror.
“I
received written threats saying I could only run but could not hide,
which I took to the Police and they told me they would do something
about it, but nothing was done. If they had done something about it, I
wouldn’t have received the second note that said I could only run but
could not hide.”
“I
was born in Maiduguri, Borno State, but my father was from Oyo State
while my mother was born in Abuja. Both of them had been living in
Maiduguri before I and my siblings were born. My father is a Muslim, and
I was born into a Muslim home. I am into buying and selling of animal
skins, a business I started after my National Diploma (ND) education at
The Polytechnic, Ibadan in 2007/2008, and I have so many people working
under me.
“In 2012, I lost my mum to illness, and towards the end
of that year, I converted from Islam to Christianity. My father and all
other Muslims around the neighborhood who knew my father were not happy
with my conversion, because my father is one of the leaders of the
Islamic group, Nasru lahi fathi (NASFAT) branch in Maiduguri.
I am a member of the youth association in Gwange ward, and I give
them financial assistance and sometimes release my bus to them for
developmental projects.
“I conducted my own investigations. One of
my neighbours whose brother received the same notes because of his
conversion a few years ago was killed by an unknown killer.
“My
family members and I have been marked for death, and everyone in the
community denied ever knowing me or my family because they said I was
one of the people supporting the youth with finance and cars to protest
against them and kill their members.”
Raphael, who released his
image, further appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration
to intensify efforts so as to defeat the Boko Haram insurgents
