JOS—SECURITY was tightened at state and federal secretariats, yesterday, as workers resumed for work after the holidays that were marred by blasts on Christmas Eve which claimed 80 lives and more than 176 injured This is just as suspected members of an Islamic sect, ‘Boko Haram’ struck again in Maiduguri, Borno State capital killing three persons including a retired senior police officer.
At the state and federal secretariats in Jos, workers at the complexes were subjected to vehicular and bodily checks by security guards attached to the secretariats. Although only few workers reported for work, the guards ensured that every vehicle was properly checked before entering or leaving the premises.
One of the security guards, Mr. Davou Sunday, told Vanguard that there was tension following the multiple blasts in some parts of the city. He said: “You must be aware that there is tension in town following the blasts. That is why we are trying to ensure that such act does not occur here.”
Brunt trailer following the Christmas Eve bomb blasts in Jos . Photos by Taiye Obateru
Many of the workers were still in shock and scared of events of the past few days. Their fears were heightened following report of another attempted blast at Barkin Ladi Local Government Council , Tuesday night.
The suspect, a school teacher is being interrogated by the police over an explosion in the school. The man was said to be putting together some items which he claimed to be chemicals at the Islamic Orientation School when the explosion occurred and badly burnt him on the face and hands.
Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano, who confirmed the arrest of the man said he suspect claimed to be mixing chemicals for an experiment when the blast happened, adding that the police were investigating the matter with a view to ascertaining his claim or if there was anything more than that.
Okogie, Makinde warn against war
Meanwhile, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde and Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Metropolitan See, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, yesterday, charged the Federal Government to immediately demonstrate its ability to govern the country by flushing out all those behind the blasts in Jos. The clerics said government risked throwing the nation into civil disobedience.
Responding to claims by an Islamic group, Jama’atu ahlus sunnah lid da’awati wal jihad, of responsibility for the Christmas Eve bombings and the violent attacks in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri, Makinde described the development as not surprising.
He said the dangerous addition to the perennial religious disruptions in the North was not entirely unexpected because the Federal Government had foot dragged over the matter for too long. He, however, cautioned that the continued silence of the government amounted to toiling with the lives of the people.
In a statement signed by the church’s Head of Media and communications, Rev. Dapo Daramola, the Prelate said until the Federal Government made a scape goat of the so-called faceless group that has specialised in visiting pain and anguish on innocent people, the situation may even get worst.
Makinde, therefore, enjoined the government to go beyond the current reports that the blasts were evil machinations of people seeking to divert attention from the main issues and do a thorough investigation of the claims because, “there can be no smoke without fire.”
Okogie warns govt
Cardinal Okogie in reaction warned that if the current government failed to employ the necessary laws to deal with perennial sectarian crises, the people of this country would be left with no choice than to take the gauntlet and defend themselves.
He said: “It is not right for a country reputed to be the most powerful nation in Africa, parading the strongest military might, to be held by the jugular by a faceless group of individuals. Where then is the security of this country? Who are members of this group?
“My advice to the president is for him to show now that there is a government in place in this country by taking the bull by the horn.
If this situation is not arrested urgently…if the Nigerian Civil War did not teach us anything…were you in this country during the civil war?…if you were you will understand what I am trying to talk about,” he kept on lamenting the development, adding that if the current Nigerian leaders have not learnt anything they should go ahead and plunge the nation into another war.
Okogie said the current development portends grave danger for the nation, saying that unless the government stamps its authority now, it might loose control and the people would rise in civil disobedience.
He noted: “Islamic clerics are dismissing the group, saying that it is faceless, Christian leaders are calling on the government to do thorough investigations. Everybody claims to be preaching peace but where is the peace? Where are the security organisations in the country? For how shall we continue like this? If they want to destroy the country, let them continue. One thing I know, my brother, is that when the rain falls it won’t fall on one’s head.”
Mayhem Satanic –Sheikh Habeebullahi
Notable Islamic scholar and Head, Arabic and Islamic Centre, Agege, Sheikh Habeebullahi Adam also reacted to the blasts in Jos saying it was totally against the tenets of Islam and a total waste of precious human lives.
He said in a statement yesterday that the attack was satanic and uncalled for, adding: “We strongly condemn the action of those who claim to be perpetrators of the heinous crime in the name of Islam or Jihad because life in Islam is very sacred. Nobody has the right to take life except God, He gives and takes it.”
Sheikh Adam who said that every Muslim must adhere strictly to the principle of peaceful co_existence preached by the religion, appealed to politicians to desist from using religion as a disguise to achieve selfish purposes and the engagement of disgruntled elements in the society to destabilize the society.
Commercial activities back in Jos
Commercial activities, however, resumed in full in Jos, yesterday, as shops, restaurants, bars and banks were opened for full business, putting behind them the Christmas eve multiple blasts.
Business centres in other parts of the city also resumed normal activities, with traders displaying their wares on roadsides. Most commercial banks were thronged by a large number of customers who had formed long queues before the banks opened for business.
Although most of the banks opened for business, a few others, including Diamond, Guaranty Trust, Stanbic Bank and UBA, located in the city centre, remained shut, while their customers waited anxiously at the gates.
Boko Haram strikes again, kills 3 in Borno
Twenty four hours after an Islamic group claimed responsibility for multiple blasts in Jos, another Islamic sect, the Boko Haram, yesterday, struck again in Maiduguri, Borno State capital killing three persons.
The three victims, including a senior police officer, were killed on Tuesday when men fired shots into a teaching hospital.
Reports reaching our newsroom late last night indicate that several other persons were shot in a sporadic attack that was carried out by people suspected to be members of the dreaded militant group, Boko Haram Sect.
Confirming the development, a police spokesman said the militant Islamic group shot one person dead and injured three others, including a retired police officer.
The Borno State police public relations officer, Lawal Abdullahi, told Vanguard in a phone interview last night: “An investigation has already commenced but I can tell you that we believe the killings must have been carried out by the Boko Haram since it was their mode of operations. We have arrested suspected members of the Boko Haram group and they are being questioned.”
Feelers last night showed that one charismatic pastor, a staff of the University of Maiduguri and member of the Chapel of Grace, University Campus, was currently receiving treatment for bullet wounds received in the attack just as brave Christian leaders had launched a search party for the body of the slain victim who is yet to be found.
Others were locked up either in their homes or in some hiding places for fear of attack by a gang of young men parading the streets in motorcycles.
Another church that came under attack was the EYN Church in the College of Agriculture area of Maiduguri where a guard was killed.
A Muslim group identifying itself as Jama’atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’Awati Wal Jihad claimed responsibility for both assaults.
Members of the Boko Haram, which opposes Western-style education and draws inspiration from Afghanistan’s Taliban, attacked police stations across several northern cities in July 2009, prompting the government to deploy troops.
No comments:
Post a Comment