Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s former aide, Bashir Ahmad, has said he is proud to be called “an Islamic extremist.” Recently, Mr Ahmad had showered praises on Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas, assassinated by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday.

“As a muslim, once they start to call you an extremist, just know you are on the right path. The path of truth. Never be discouraged by their actions, stay true to your faith and Allah will guide you through,” An X user, @hayateey1, tweeted on Thursday before the crash in Germany.

Responding to that tweet, Mr Ahmad, notorious for extreme religious and political views, stated, “It is an honour to be called an Islamic extremist.”

Mr Ahmad’s post on X was oddly timed and drew sharp criticism given it came hours after a Saudi-born doctor unleashed terror in Germany, killing five people —that include a nine-year-old boy.

The attack occurred at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, on December 20. A car driven by Taleb Al Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor, plowed into a crowd of visitors, killing five people and injuring over 200. The victims included a nine-year-old boy and four women aged 45, 52, 67, and 75.

Mr Ahmad comes from the northern part of the country ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents —Islamic extremists—who constantly unleash terror attacks on the region, resulting in multiple deaths, mass abductions, closure of schools and so on.

Prior to his now-deleted post, Mr Ahmad has always ramped up campaign for the killing of those adjudged guilty of blasphemy by Muslims.

Mr Ahmad’s comment has renewed worries among Nigerians who for long have speculated that some government elements are backing terrorists given how they almost never apprehended and the few ones nabbed were often entered into a rehabilitation programme.

Mr Buhari was excoriated for enrolling hundreds of Boko Haram terrorists accused of mass rape and murders into a rehabilitation programme for reintegration into the society.