Leader of the Academy of Islamic Propagation (ACADIP), an institute that engages in comparative religious studies, Mallam Yusuf Adepoju, yesterday, stated that members of Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West African Province, among others were not Muslims.

He said though these deadly movements may have been masquerading as adherents of Islam, their destructive activities contrast with what the Muslim religion stands for.

Adepoju submitted at a press conference to herald activities marking the 30th anniversary of ACADIP in Osogbo.

Fielding questions from journalists on why terrorists, who pride themselves as Islamic fighters have remained incorrigible despite sermons and appeals against their killings and attacks in the country, the renowned Islamic cleric restated that the insurgents were not Muslims.

Adepoju asserted that true Muslims do not kill, adding that the Quran frowns on it.

The ACADIP founder said: “Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations are not Muslims. It is stated in the Quran that whoever kills a soul, it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind, and whoever saves a soul, would have been recorded as saving a whole of mankind.

“Terrorism is not found in the dictionary of Islam. Islam detests terrorism. These people (Boko Haram, ISWAP, ISID) are not Muslims. When you are sermoning someone who doesn’t believe in God and the Quran, that is where we are having the problem. They kill both Christians and Muslims.”

He urged clerics not to relent in preaching to the insurgents, with the hope of getting them reformed.

“We will continue to pray to Allah to save us from this crisis. That does not stop the Islamic scholars from discharging their responsibilities by continuing to sermonise them. Maybe one day, they (insurgents) will hearken to the calls of scholars,” he added.

Adepoju disclosed that no fewer than 50 prominent comparative scholars and preachers across the federation would bag awards of excellence on January 11 at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, while four others would be honoured at the grand finale on January 12.

He said the National Universities Commission (NUC) had given the first approval for the proposed ACADIP University.