Use traditional means to tackle Boko Haram, Satguru Maharaji urges Buhari

Satguru Maharaji ji, the founder of One Love Family, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to use traditional means to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency.

Maharaj ji gave the advice on Sunday in Ibadan at a press conference to mark the 35th anniversary of the One Love Family in Nigeria.

He said that this approach became necessary in order to overcome the incessant killing of innocent people by the terrorist group.

Maharaji ji said traditional leaders have some powerful traditional deities that could help find solution to the Boko Haram insurgency within weeks.

“If the traditional leaders are involved in the process of addressing the issue, the crisis will soon be forgotten.

“The president needs to consult people such as me and other traditional leaders to break the myth surrounding the Boko Haram terrorist movement.

“They do not know the teachings of Islam and need to be dealt with traditionally because they are being used by some people and they use religion as a cover to create trouble,’’ Maharaj ji said.

Maharaj ji lauded Buhari for his initiative on salary cut, adding that more steps needed to be taken in reducing the cost of governance.

He also advised Buhari to set up a Salary Restructure Committee to look into the salaries and allowances of the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly and ministers with a view to reducing their emoluments.

“The committee would come out with a uniform salary scale and allowances that would not be as much as the present one.

“This would be better than an individual cutting his salary and the others not doing so.

“The money generated from this reduction can be used for development projects that would have direct impact on the ordinary masses,’’ he said.

He also urged the president to monitor the constituency allowances being given to the National Assembly members by ensuring that the money was being used judiciously.

“In order to eradicate corruption, the politicians should be made to swear with the god of iron instead of using Quran and Bible during their inauguration.

“This will bring sanity into the system and prevent political office holders from stealing public funds because thunder will strike the thieves among them to death instantly,’’ he said.

The One Love Family leader warned against same sex marriage, saying it should not be allowed in Africa as it remains a taboo on the continent.