SULTAN OF SOKOTO DROPS ANOTHER BOMBSHELL
Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI)
Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has described the killings during
attacks on communities of Agatu in Benue state, Nnibo in Enugu State and
some parts of Nasarawa state as a crime and urged the government to
bring perpetrators to justice.
He called for a thorough investigation by appropriate security agencies
into the killings in order to fish out the evil perpetrators and
forestall re-occurrence.
Sultan Abubakar made his view known in a statement signed by JNI
Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu. He said: “Crimes are
abominable and whoever commits them is a criminal.”
He lamented that certain groups or people ascribe the killings to ethnic
and/or religious premise and to whimsically apportion blame in order to
batter the gradual restoration of peace and security in Nigeria.
The statement said: “Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) received with great
shock and deep concern the news of incessant killings and maiming of
innocent lives and the destruction of public and private properties. Of
particular concern are the brutal murders of people in Agatu-Benue
state, Nnibo-Enugu state and some parts of Nasarawa state. It is indeed
alarming that within few weeks, deadly attacks were reportedly unleashed
while the perpetrators go un-arrested.
“JNI therefore condemns in strong terms these repeated heinous attacks
and once again calls on the relevant security agencies to brace up to
the trends, in order to put a stop to this ugly tide, as human lives are
sacred and must be seen to be treated as so.
“JNI and indeed all Nigerians, view the fall out of these repeated
attacks, particularly the taking up of arms against other citizens as
another trend of insecurity that portends grave danger to the Nation. We
must not forget so soon the adverse effect of the so called Boko Haram
group, that claimed the lives of many thousands innocent lives.
“Hundreds have been abducted, the males forced into insurgency and the
females into slavery. Millions more are wallowing in Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Nigeria and in Refugee Camps in
neighbouring countries. Public and private properties worth trillions of
Naira have been destroyed.
“We therefore call for a thorough investigation by appropriate agencies
in order to fish out the evil perpetrators, bring them to justice and
forestall re-occurrence. The repeated heinous acts of attacks are crimes
against the citizenry and the perpetrators are therefore criminals and
must be treated so.
“It is indeed absurd and most unfortunate that certain groups or people
ascribe the incidents on ethnic and/or religious premise and to
whimsically apportion blame in order to batter the gradual restoration
of peace and security in Nigeria. Well, the Commissioner of Police,
Enugu State has debunked the rumours, likewise the Inspector General of
Police has also debunked the insinuations over those being blamed.
“We must thus be cautious of packaging crimes on religious and ethnic
garments. Crimes are abominable and whoever commits them is criminal.
Security agencies should brace up in being proactive and utilize
maximally intelligence reports in order to nip-in the bud possible
eruptions of security problems within and around communities.
“Painfully, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General,
JNI, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on behalf of Nigerian Muslims,
condoles the families of those who lost their lives and sympathies with
all affected victims, and also calls for concerted introspection and
commitment by relevant agencies to take proactive and effective measures
in addressing this pernicious problem.
No comments