Leadership / Nigeria: President Muhammadu Buhari has described as sad and regrettable, the developments that led to the killing of an Igbo trader, Mrs Bridget Agbahime, in Kano State.
He also commended the law enforcement agents for apprehending the prime suspect in the killing, as well as the Kano State government which summoned a meeting of Christian and Islamic leaders, widower of the deceased, and security agencies shortly after the sad event occurred.
Madam Agbahime was lynched by a mob on the claim that she blasphemed Prophet Muhammad SAW.
According to a statement by his special adviser media, Femi Adesina, President Buhari condoled with the husband of the deceased, Pastor Mike Agbahime, the family and relations, praying that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss.
Adesina said, “President Buhari says justice would be done in the matter, and urges the people not to take the law into their hands.
“He equally charges those who may want to use the development to fan the embers of religious or ethnic hatred to remember that two wrongs never make a right, and that when law and order breaks down, those who become victims are never distinguished on the basis of religion or ethnicity.
“The incident at Kofar Wambai market, Kano city, is utterly condemnable, and the state government has been quite proactive. Let us ensure that we keep the peace, as justice will be done. Let us learn to respect each other’s faith, so that we can know each other and live together in peace,” the President said.
Kano Govt, leaders, CAN meet, condemn killing
The Kano state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and prominent community and religious leaders, on Friday night, strongly condemned the killing of Madam Bridget Agbahime, at Kofar Wambai market in Kano city, by suspected hoodlums.
Rising from a meeting chaired by the governor and attended by prominent people including the state Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Ransome Bello, husband of the deceased, Pastor Mike Agbahime, Islamic scholars and security agencies, the stakeholders described the incident as illegal, unfortunate and regrettable.
In a six point resolution personally read by the governor after the meeting, the stakeholders condoled the husband of the deceased, stressing that “the killing of his 74-year-old wife is illegal, unjustifiable and without her fault.”
Governor Ganduje asserted that justice must be done in the matter, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, and assured that his government would ensure that justice is done.
According to him, the meeting appreciated the role played by security agencies in the matter who worked assiduously to douse the tension, leading to the arrest of a prime suspect, one Alhaji Dauda.
The meeting, he added, also resolved that all the stakeholders should publicly, through the media, condemn the killing of the innocent lady and that all Islamic and Christian leaders will engage in public enlightenment of their followers to guard against recurrence of such senselessness.
Governor Ganduje, who pledged to support the bereaved family of Mrs. Agbahime in the trying period, expressed deep condolences to the family on behalf of the government and people of the state.
In his remarks, the state CAN Chairman, Rev. Ransom Bello said his association was fully satisfied with the resolutions adding that, “there is nothing better any person would expect more than what you (the governor) has done tonight.”
While urging the people of the state to remain calm, he maintained that with the efforts being made by the state government, peace had returned to the state and that the stakeholders meeting was the beginning of the end of committing dastardly acts such as killings in Kano.
In his contribution, the Eze Ndigibo Kano, Chief Boniface Ibekwe, called on all civil and community leaders to put hands together to ensure lasting peace and urged other governors in Nigeria to emulate Ganduje’s initiatives in ensuring brotherly co-existence.
Police arrest 2 key suspects, call for calm
The Nigeria Police yesterday said it had arrested two key suspects and deployed a deputy inspector general of police to handle the case.
This is even as the Inspector-general of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, called for calm while reassuring the family of the deceased and indeed, the general public that justice would be done in the case.
The force public relations officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, who confirmed the arrest of two suspects, Dauda Ahmed and Subeiru Abubakar by the Kano state police command, also noted that in furtherance to this firm commitment, the case would be pursued to a logical conclusion.
”In order to ensure a diligent and professional investigation, the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) to deploy the Homicide Section of the Department to immediately take over the investigation of the case and ensure a meticulous investigation and speedy prosecution of the arrested suspects,” Kolawole said in a statement.
The statement further pointed out Arase had also directed the commissioner of police in Kano to sustain the community engagement actions which he was currently initiating with all strategic security stakeholders and community leaders in the state with a view to dousing the tension being generated by the condemnable incident.
“In addition, detachments of mobile and conventional Police as well as the intelligence assets of the Force have been deployed to protect law abiding citizens, reassure the public, prevent the incident from degenerating into a major security threat and aid the Homicide Section being deployed in the location and apprehension of other suspects who are currently at large.
“The Force leadership emphasises the sanctity of human lives and condemns in the strongest possible terms the violation of the right to life of citizens under any guise,” it added.
While condoling with the family, friends and colleagues of the late victim, the Force further advised the public to go about their normal activities and resist any temptation to capitalise on the incident to threaten national security as any such attempt will be firmly dealt with. The Inspector General also called on Kano state residents and indeed, all citizens to imbibe the culture of tolerance, rule of law and peaceful co-existence and to trust and cooperate with the police as it strive to ensure justice in this case.
