The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, and the northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, on Sunday said that the killers of a female trader, Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, in Kano, must be identified and punished.
The Sultan specifically said the killers were criminals, adding that their act was unIslamic while the northern CAN said that killings of Christians under flimsy excuses should stop forthwith.
Dogara, who condemned the act, also stated that Nigerians should collectively rise against the growing “lawlessness and impunity” in the country.
He said it was regrettable that fellow traders murdered Agbaheme over allegations of blasphemy.
Dogara called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“We live in a society governed by clearly stated rules and laws.
“When such crimes of high magnitude, or any at all, are allowed to go unpunished for any reason, we risk descending into a state of lawlessness and anarchy where anyone can assume the role of a judge, a jury and an executioner.
“The rule of law must prevail. I urge all security agencies to ensure that they carry out a thorough investigation into the events that led to her untimely death and ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to face the full wrath of the law,” a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, on Sunday night, quoted Dogara as saying.
The Sultan of Sokoto, who is also the President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, on Sunday condemned the killing of Mrs. Agbahime, accused of blaspheming Prophet Mohammed by irate mob in Kano State.
The leader of the Nigerian Muslims also condemned the religious crisis that broke out at Pandogari, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
That crisis led to the killing of 24-year-old Methodus Emmanuel and three others in Pandogari.
The Sultan noted that the two separate incidences which he described as “ugly” stood condemned and regarded as criminal and unIslamic.
He argued that it was unbelievable that such acts could still be perpetrated in the light of enlightenment campaigns by Muslim leaders on the need for Muslim to co-exist with others in the country.
Abubakar stated this in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna on his behalf by the Secretary-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu.
The JNI boss said, “With pains and sobriety Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) reacts to the most unfortunate alleged blasphemy that was reported to have happened in Wambai Area of Kano, Kano State and Pandogari, Rafi Local Government Council of Niger State.
“These ugly incidences utterly stand condemned and are regarded as criminal and unislamic, perpetrated by miscreants and criminals.
“We equally commiserate with Mr. Agbahime of the Deeper Life Bible Church of Kano, over the death of his wife, Mrs. Bridget Agbahime as a result of injuries she sustained in the fracas that ensued between her and the hoodlums.”
Also, the northern chapter of CAN has condemned the killing.
The body noted that killing Christians, using flimsy excuses, was unacceptable.
The northern CAN warned that such act, which it described as barbaric, must henceforth stop. He urged the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Danguje, and the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, to warn their people.
The Christian body wondered why such “a gruesome and barbaric incident always features in Kano.”
“Why must it always be Kano State? This is not telling good of the state known to be a commercial city,” the Public Relations Officer of northern CAN, Reverend John Hayab, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Saturday.
Hayab noted that information made available to the group indicated that the late Mrs. Agbahime was deliberately killed.
The Northern CAN also called on the police to always carry out their constitutional role of safeguarding the lives and properties of Nigerians without fear or favour.
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