The Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the execution of eleven Christians by members of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Christmas Day.

In a statement issued over the weekend, Buhari said he was saddened and shocked by the action of the ‘psychopaths’, noting that no true Muslim would be shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ while killing innocent people.

The President also reassured Nigerians that the collective security of all Nigerian citizens remains his major preoccupation and that his administration will continue to intensify efforts towards breaking the backbone of evil doers.

“I am profoundly saddened and shocked by the death of innocent hostages in the hands of remorseless, godless, callous gangs of mass murderers that have given Islam a bad name through their atrocities. 

“We should under no circumstances let the terrorists divide us by turning Christians against Muslims, because these barbaric killers do not represent Islam and millions of other law-abiding Muslims around the world.

“As a President, the collective security of all Nigerians is my major preoccupation and the death of an innocent Christian or Muslim distresses me.

“No true Muslim would be shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ while killing innocent people, an evil frequently condemned by the Holy Qur’an.

“These agents of darkness are enemies of our common humanity and they don’t spare any victim, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and therefore, we shouldn’t let them divide us and turn us against one another. 

“The goal of these psychopaths is to cause confusion and spread distrust between Muslims and Christians, despite the fact that they aren’t representing the interest of Muslims or Islam.

“While I condemn this evil, I wish to reassure Nigerians that this administration will not lower its guard in the war against terrorism.

“We will continue to intensify our efforts towards strengthening international cooperation and collaboration to break the backbone of these evil doers,” Buhari said.

He therefore called on all Nigerians to stand united against terrorism and to avoid unhelpful conspiracy theories which serve the interest of Boko Haram terrorists and ISWAP.