May 16, (THEWILL) – Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned attacks on Igbo properties and business outfits during protest by some Muslim faithfuls in Sokoto, for the release of suspects involved in the gruesome murder of Deborah Samuel Yakubu.
Deborah, a 200-level Home Economics student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was on Thursday mobbed, killed and her corpse set ablaze within the school premises over alleged blasphemy by Islamic extremists.
Ohanaeze said it was yet to establish any connection between the Igbo traders and Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu, an indigene of Niger State, who was alleged to have blasphemed against Prophet Muhammad on Thursday, to warrant the destruction of Igbo properties.
The Group, in a statement on Sunday evening by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said, “Ohanaeze watched the clip with intense curiosity, the background of the killing and burning of Miss Samuel at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto and could not in any way fathom any iota of Igbo connection to the incident.
“An Igbo neither interfered nor was an accessory in the said blasphemy. The question on every lip all over the world is ‘why again the Igbo?
“It is very unfortunate that at any time there is any form of misconception or crisis in the North, it often ends with a mob that goes against the Igbo commercial and residential interests.
“For instance, in February 2016, there was a cartoon about Prophet Muhammad by the Danish newspaper in faraway Denmark which generated an international uproar. The uproar took an inexplicable barbaric dimension in Maiduguri, Nigeria, where over 50 people, identified as Christians were killed, mostly of Igbo ethnic group and many of their properties were either destroyed or damaged by rioting Muslims.
“Perhaps, this is why Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, the President-General of the apex Igbo social-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, prophetically lamented that insecurity of Igbo people in Nigeria has reached a dangerous level of existential threat, saying Igbo are the most vulnerable and victims of violence throughout Nigeria.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo believes that the core essence of religion all over the world is to enhance humanity with such values as love, peace, fellow feeling, etc. The transcendental imperative of every religion revolves around charity, kindness, humility, sincerity, tolerance, empathy and the likes. The diversity of mankind makes it practically impossible for everybody to belong to one faith.
“On the other hand, if every religion embarks on cleansing of the members whose faith are at variance, we all shall revert to the Hobbesian state of nature, where life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.
“In positing that Muslims who kill Christians in Nigeria over blasphemy won’t smell Paradise, an Islamic scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, contended that ‘there are people who are neither Muslims not Christians in Nigeria and everyone is trying to win their souls. Also, there are people who are not Muslims, whom we are preaching Islam to so that they can enter the fold of Islam and be salvaged in the hereafter.
“According to Gumi, If we now begin to kill people, they will say it is even from the leader of our faith, Prophet Muhammad, that we have learnt it. They will say their religion is a religion of bloodletting.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo asks the Igbo community in Sokoto State to remain calm and take stock of all the damages done to their houses, shops and goods on Saturday, May 14, with a view to seeking compensation from the relevant authorities.
The statement further added that,“The Igbo owe it a duty to work hard and also contribute in developing every community they find themselves. That is patriotism. Therefore, there is no gainsaying the Igbo contributions to national development all over the country, but to victimise Ndigbo for reasons unknown to them or to subject the Igbo to the butt and dregs of society or to the receiving end of the current Nigerian predicament is to say the least unacceptable.
“Ohanaeze is delighted that President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the resort to self-help by the mob in Sokoto, resulting in violence, destruction and killing of Deborah.
“While commending the Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State, for the timely intervention, we urge the governor to ensure that all those that were involved in the destruction of the Igbo property are brought to book. Finally, we call on the governor of the state to mitigate the losses incurred by the Igbo traders in Sokoto State over what they knew not.”
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern states and Abuja on Sunday, warned that the cruel and barbaric murder of Miss Deborah Samuel must not be swept under the carpet.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), CAN (19 Northern states and Abuja), Chaplain Jechonia Gilbert, made this known in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja.
The statement read: “Christian Association of Nigeria (19 Northern states and Abuja) is deeply saddened over the recent ugly development in Sokoto State that led to the gruesome murder of Miss Deborah Samuel, a 200 level female student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, for alleged blasphemy.
“The umbrella organisation of all Christians in Northern Nigeria condemns this gruesome and barbaric murder of Deborah in strongest terms possible.
“While CAN does not and will not encourage casting aspersions on any religion or religious leader of any faith, CAN frowns at hiding under the gab of any religious extremism to perpetrate any form of criminality against her members especially in Northern Nigeria. God Almighty is not and can never be a weak God for mere mortal to fight and defend Him. On the contrary, it is He who keeps, watches and defends us. CAN believes that life is sacred and must never be taken by another unless as directed by the state.
“The CAN (19 Northern states and Abuja) is calling on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sokoto State government under governor Aminu Tambuwal not to resort to the government usual rhetoric, but must demonstrate political will and capacity to bring the perpetrators of this criminality to justice; otherwise, others may take queue from this and turn our father land to a country of lawlessness at every slightest provocation.
“CAN believes that Nigeria is a country governed by the rule of law and order. Therefore, any act of lawlessness and criminality must not be swept under the carpet. CAN, 19 Northern states, is calling on every Christian parent across the nation especially, Northern states, to discourage sending their children to any school in Sokoto State, pending when the federal and state governments are ready and willing to secure the lives of our children both in Sokoto and other states that are hostile to Christians and Christianity.
“We are urging all Christian leaders to terminate their participation in Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), until their counterparts of Islamic faith show commitment to tame their followers on equal terms. Northern CAN prays for the immediate family and indeed the Church of late Deborah Samuel, not to lose hope in God’s ability to avenge the killers of their daughter.
“We appeal and counsel those who feel and think that killing and oppressing Christians is a demonstration of their service to their God to learn from history.
“Those that tried it in Egypt and their experiences should be enough warning. There is a Red Sea awaiting them, even those who are secretly encouraging them, must partake in the Red Sea experience.”
About the Author
