The Jama’atu Nasril
Islam, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Forum and Afenifere on
Tuesday spoke in one voice against Monday night’s multiple bomb blasts
in Kano, Kano State.
Their
criticisms came just as our correspondent in Kano gathered from
hospital sources that death toll had risen to 23. Security operatives
however put the casualty figure at 12.
In their separate
reactions to the blasts in the Sabon Gari area of the city, they
reminded the perpetrators who are believed to be members of Boko Haram
that it was wrong for them to take innocemt lives.
The JNI, a
group led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, said
in a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, that those
behind the killings must be fished out and punished.
It said it
was perplexed that terrorism had continued unabated in the North
despite the number of unaccounted checkpoints by security operatives.
The
statement reads in part, “JNI is worried and cannot understand what is
really happening? The perpetrators should be fished out and punished
in accordance with the laws of the land.
“While we send our
condolences to the families of the bereaved , the government of Borno
and Kano states, their Royal Highnesses, Shehu of Borno and the Emir of
Kano, we once again call on all concerned to, as a matter of
urgency, nip the attacks in the bud . As it is becoming more and more
glaring to all right thinking persons, there is a grand design to
push the entire North into deeper crises and by extension, the entire
Nigerian federation.
“Therefore, we call on Muslims to fervently
pray in Du’a(prayer) that will bring an end to these nagging nightmares
of insecurity in our great country and may Allah, the Most High, save us
from the enemies of peace and development and whosoever they may be,
especially that we are in the most sacred month of Ramadan.”
To
the ACF, the Kano blasts must be condemned by all right thinking
persons because they amounted to a “desecration of the holy month of
Ramadan.
The forum which is the foremost northern socio-political
organisation, noted that the killing of innocent souls had no place in
any religion.
The ACF, in a statement by its National Publcity
Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, added that violence could not solve any
perceived grievances.
The body stressed the need for dialogue, saying it was the best way to address grievances.
It
said, “We would never be tired of asking the perpetrators of
violence to avail themselves the offer of dialogue by the Federal
Government for the good of all. This is because there is no alternative
to peaceful coexistence needed for the socio-economic development of
this large country.
“The ACF is shocked and sad over the reports
of four bomb explosions, which killed and wounded many people on Monday
in Kano. This kind of killings of innocent people has no place in all
religions and in decent societies. It amounts to desecration of the
month of Ramadan. They should, therefore, be condemned by all those who
cherish core values of humanity like freedom, justice and common
decency.
“It is still the considered opinion of the ACF that
violence can never resolve any perceived grievances, besides inflicting
pains and self-immolation and destruction of innocent people.”
On
its part, Afenifere called on the Federal Government to introduce
tougher measures to curb the escalation of violent attacks by
Boko-Haram, especially in Borno and Kano states.
Describing the
attacks as “dreaded and brutal, “ the group warned that the arrest of
42 suspected members of the sect in Lagos and Ogun states indicated
that deadlier attacks had yet to be unveiled.
A statement by the
group on Tuesday, reads in part, “The escalation of violent campaigns
by the Boko Haram in Borno and Kano states within 48 hours should be a
rude awakening to the Federal Government that it should seek yet no
repose.
“It appears to us in Afenifere that the government was
being lured into some false sense of security so that the sect could
re-strategise for more devastating attacks.
“The Army in Lagos
paraded some suspected members of the sect, with a warning from the
Directorate of State Security Service that deadlier attacks were on the
way. This should be a signal to the government that it cannot afford to
take a pacifist approach as sympathisers of the sect who had infiltrated
the administration may be counselling.
“The military action that
followed the bold move by the government led to a bomb holiday in the
North-East, which has been the headquarters of insurgency.”
The
group said the claim by the Chairman of the Boko Haram panel, Alhaji
Taminu Turaki, that he had secured a ceasefire with the sect, proved
that Turaki might be having something to do with the sect.
The group further asked the government to disband the committee, as it was not to be trusted.
But
Turaki told State House correspondents in Abuja that the committee
remained undeterred in the face of the renewed hostilities by Boko
Haram.
He said President Goodluck Jonathan had granted the committee a 60-day extension to complete its assignment.
Turaki
said, “ It’s really unfortunate that at this time when serious efforts
are being made by the government through many fronts to make sure that
these issues are sorted out, some people who do not wish this country
well are trying to pull the hand of the clock backwards.
“But let
me say on behalf of the committee on dialogue that we are undeterred.
We will proceed with the discussions and by the special grace of God and
by the prayers of all peace-loving Nigerians we will be able to conquer
incidents like these.”
While statements by the JNI, ACF and
Afenifere were being circulated, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and security
agencies differed on the casualty figure in the latest explosions in
Kano.
The military and police said 12 people died in the
explosions believed to have been targeted at the Christians in the city,
but the Ohanaeze Ndigbo said no fewer than 39 were killed and several
others injured.
President of the group in Kano, Chief Michael
Tobias Idika, told The PUNCH, he had confirmed that “at least 39 people”
were killed in the explosions.
Idika said, “This is not something we like to celebrate; the truth is that at least 39 people were killed in the blasts.
“The
terrorists invaded Sabon Gari, an enclave carved out for non-natives
and planted Improvised Explosive Devices that exploded almost
simultaneously on Enugu/Igbo Road, near International Hotel; and New
Road, directly opposite the popular Ado Bayero Square, precisely at Nos.
38, 39, 40 and 41.
“At 41 New Road, the Christ Salvation
Pentecostal Church was also bombed at the peak of an evening worship
service. Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s account can confirm 39 deaths in New Road
and Igbo/Enugu Road; and also unspecified number of people who got
injured. Our team arrived at the scene in good time.”
But the Commissioner of Police , Kano State Command, in a statement on Tuesday, insisted that 12 people died in the explosions.
The
command, in the statement by its spokesman, Magaji Majia, said,
“Multiple explosions at Enugu/Igbo Road and New Road at about 2100 hours
occurred at a Tavern known as Mary Cool and Zuma Cool Spot,
respectively.
“As a result, 12 died on the spot, 12 injured and
19 vehicles parked at the scenes damaged. Corpses and the injured were
taken to government hospitals in the state.”
Also, the 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Kano, issued a statement on the attacks.
The
statement by Captain Ikedichi Iweaha, spokesman for the Brigade
reads in part, “At about 2105 hours July 29, 2013 , simultaneous
explosions were triggered by persons suspected to be members of the Boko
Haram terrorist group between numbers 38 and 41 New Road and Igbo Road
by Enugu Road all in the Sabon Gari area of Fagge Local Government
Council of Kano State.
“Twelve persons were confirmed to have
died from both incidents while a couple of others who sustained various
degrees of injuries were rushed to hospitals for medical attention.
“This
latest incident could have been avoided if citizens have maintained
vigilance when packages are dropped as it was in this case contrary to
reports circulating in a section of the media of the attack being one by
suicide bombers.”
Our correspondent however learnt on Tuesday
that 23 corpses of victims of the blasts were deposited at the various
government hospitals across Kano metropolis.
Most of the corpses
were deposited at the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital mortuary.
Six persons were being treated for various degrees of burns in the
same hospital.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu
Musa Kwakwanso, in company with the Commander, 3 Motorised Brigade,
Brig.-Gen. Ilyasu Abba, and the State Police Commissioner, Alhaji Musa
Daura, on Tuesday visited the Murtala Muhammed Hospital to commiserate
with the victims of the bomb blasts.
