Leadership Kano Blasts: We’re Still Searching For Our Missing Relatives - Residents By: Chika Otuchikere, George Agba, Abubakar Salihi, Midat Joseph, OLAOLU OLADIPO on July 31, 2013 - 2:14am More than 24 hours after unknown gunmen attacked the popular Sabon Gari town, Kano State, killing no fewer than 20 people, residents of the ancient city say they are yet to locate some of their relatives who were at the scene of the multiple bomb blasts at the time of the incident. Some residents who besieged the Sabon Gari scene of the attack told LEADERSHIP that they came to the place to see if they could find any clues on the whereabouts of their relatives. It was a rowdy and emotion-laden scene at Sabon Gari area, a place largely populated by non-indigenes, as hundreds of residents gathered to capture a glimpse of what became the aftermath scene of the attack. According to an eyewitness account, the bomb went off at about 9pm at a beer parlour on the street of No. 22 and 41 New Road, and No. 36 Merry Guest Tavern on Enugu Road respectively. LEADERSHIP can report that despite the heavy downpour on the night of the blast, there was blood all over and pieces of human flesh spread on walls, structures and in the gutters. One of the residents, Kingsley Nwabueze, said that he had been looking for two of his relatives. “We have been looking for two people, but we were unable to get them; that’s why I am here at the scene, whether I could see any identification of them,” Kingsley said. According to him, the noise of the blasts scared everyone and gave the impression that it was a war situation. “The kind of stampede and helter-skelter situation people found themselves in, I thought it was a third world war I have been hearing about. I cannot exactly describe the situation the same way people involved would have,” he said. He expressed fear that if he is given an option to choose between staying in Kano or leaving, he would prefer leaving, saying he doesn’t know when and where this bomb blast would happen again. Another resident, Lyonel Nwosu, who was also at the scene claimed to be the president of Igbo Community Association in Kano. He told LEADERSHIP that he was at the scene to witness the situation but was unfortunate to be informed that he had lost an immediate relation at the blast, one Ndibuisi Nwago, a trader at Sabon Gari Market, Kano. Nwosu described the happening as unbecoming and precarious, considering the cruel way human lives were taken, saying people in the area thought the bomb blast was a thing of the past in the state. “In fact, everybody is now bitter and devastated. When lives are taken so recklessly like that, nobody predicts what would happen. People that are peacefully going about their business and to places of worship are killed for no reason. It was devastating,” Nwosu said. Kwankwaso visits scene of the blast The Kano State governor, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, visited the scene of the blast in the early morning hours of yesterday. The governor condemned the bomb blast and described the incident as devastating. “This attack on Sabon Gari is an attack on Nigeria because Muslims and Christians are involved. Several people of different ethnic backgrounds have either lost their lives or been critically injured. Whoever did this thing targeted Nigeria,” Kwankwaso stressed. The governor promised that the state will continue to work with security agencies to maintain peace and protect life and property. He appealed to the people to continue to support security agencies to make the state safer and to go about their normal activities calmly. The governor promised the injured at Murtala Muhammed Hospital that his government would shoulder the cost of their treatment. Ungodly - Sultan The Sultan of Sokoto and president-general of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday condemned the multiple bomb blasts in Kano, saying it was “an inhuman and ungodly act”. A statement signed by the secretary-general of the JNI, Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, said “the Sultan of Sokoto and the president-general of JNI received with bewilderment the news of the orchestrated multiple bomb blasts at Sabon Gari, Kano, Kano State, resulting in collateral damage and many lives lost”. According to the Sultan, “We strongly condemn the inhuman and ungodly act in its totality as it is reprehensible, and we equally call for calm and restraint. As it has always been our prayers, whatsoever is the intent/motive of the perpetrators of these contemptible acts, they will never succeed. “JNI is perplexed that this act of unleashing terror on human lives continued unabated, despite visible number of uncountable security checkpoints mounted all through northern Nigeria. “More worrisome is the fact that this beastly act of terror comes just 24 hours after unleashing same on fishermen and traders in Kaka and Kukawa local government areas of Borno State, which also claimed many innocent lives and loss of many properties worth millions of naira.” He said there is the urgent need for proactive and effective ways of addressing the precarious security upheavals presently being witnessed in the country. “We are also worried and cannot understand what is really happening. The perpetrators should be fished out and punished in accordance with the laws of the land. “As it is becoming more and more glaring to the right thinking person, there is a grand design to push the entire North into deeper crises and by extension the Nigerian federation. “We call on all Muslims to fervently engage 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, wherever they may be, especially that we are in the most sacred days of Ramadan,” the statement read. ACF To Boko Haram: Enough of these mindless killings The northern socio-cultural organization, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday told the members of the Boko Haram sect to stop the mindless killings of innocent lives in the country. The ACF in a statement by its spokesman, Anthony Sani, expressed shock and sadness over the reports of four multiple bomb explosions which killed and wounded many people in Kano. According to him, “these kinds of killing of innocent people have no place in all religions and in decent societies, and 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 consider opinion of ACF that violence can never resolve any perceived grievances, besides inflicting pains and self-immolation and destruction of innocent people. “Only constructive engagement can address concerns positively. Many examples abound across the world that supports this contention.” The statement continued: “We would not be tired of asking perpetrators of violence to avail themselves to the offer of dialogue by the government/authority 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 that holds a lot of promises for generations to come. Let us give peace a chance. “Our heart goes to the government and people of Kano State, is with those who lost their loved ones, is with those who have been wounded and is with those who lost properties.” Afenifere seeks tougher measures against Boko Haram Meanwhile, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has urged the federal government to take tougher measures against the Boko Haram Islamist sect to curb rising insecurity in the country. In a statement from the group signed by its national publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin, made available to LEADERSHIP, Afenifere said that escalation of violent campaigns by the group, especially in the last two days in Borno and Kano States, has become “a rude awakening to the federal government that it should seek yet no repose”. According to the group, the murder of innocent citizens in the wake of a parade by the Nigerian Army of 42 suspected members of the sect in Lagos shows that government cannot afford to take a pacifist approach as sympathizers of the sect have “infiltrated” the administration. Boko Haram: Jonathan gives amnesty committee 2 months’ extension President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday added two months to the three months’ time frame given to the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North to complete its work on reaching out to the Boko Haram sect and wooing them for an amnesty deal. This is coming just as the chairman of the committee and minister of special duties, Mr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), insisted that his committee had reached a ceasefire deal with the Boko Haram sect, with discussions reaching top gear, as they all agreed to sign the ceasefire agreements and disarmament. “This issue of whether or not an understanding has been reached, I think, is something that has been sorted out. The people we have been speaking with, who are genuine members of the Boko Haram sect, have themselves taken up the issue with some of their colleagues and I don’t want to reduce it to a diatribe between the committee with any other person or any group of persons. At this level, we have informed Nigerians of what we are doing; what we said is true and accurate and very soon Nigerians will also be availed of sufficient facts that will confirm the information that we have given which is very correct,” Turaki insisted. On this Monday’s attacks in Kano, Turaki said it was unfortunate, adding that it showed that some people were opposed to peace talks. He said: “I heard the information of the sad event that took place in Kano. It’s really unfortunate that at this time when serious efforts are being made by government through many fronts to make sure that these issues are sorted out, then some people who do not wish this country well are trying to pull the hand of the clock backwards. I think it’s unfortunate.” Addressing State House correspondents after receiving the letter of extension at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister said the committee which was inaugurated on April 17, 2013, had, within its original three-month time frame, worked on the critical terms of reference of its mandate, adding that, with the extension, the committee now has enough time to work on the issues of dialogue and victims’ support. Noting that the committee would soon address Nigerians and present facts and data that would confirm what it had been doing, Turaki said: “We have been given extension by Mr President for another two months. Now, we have been able to work on the critical terms of reference but we are now working on two -- two major ones for that matter -- the issue of dialogue which is most fundamental and the issue of victims’ support. Regarding victims support, we have been able to make a lot of progress. I think we have gone 80 to 90 per cent on what we should be doing on that. Ohaneze Ndigbo task Jonathan on protection of lives Meanwhile, the Kano State branch of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, has confirmed that a total of 44 persons lost their lives in the Kano attack. According to a release made available to LEADERSHIP while 39 persons were killed in the New Road Area of Sabon Gari, six persons lost their lives in Igbo/Enugu Road. Part of the statement read, “Ohaneze- Ndigbo Kano registers its deep feelings over the unprovoked attacks on Sabon Gari, Kano dominated by Ndigbo. At this point, Ohaneze Ndigbo call on President Goodluck Jonathan to make haste and protect the lives of citizens resident in the northern part of the country
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 09:36:36 +0000
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