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Army and Police Avert Crisis in Kaduna

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
September 23, 2006
Posted to the web September 24, 2006

By George Oji
Kaduna

Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital was tense yesterday following fears of likely spill over of the religious crisis which rocked Dutse, Jigawa State on Wednesday. Armed soldiers and mobile policemen patrolled major streets in the city as many shops along the busy Ahmadu Bello Way did not open for business for fear of being attacked. There was an uneasy calm in the city as residents restricted their movements to areas where they feel safe for fear of any ugly incident.

The state police command confirmed that some troublemakers were planning to infiltrate the city during or after the Friday prayers to cause trouble and destruction in the state.

The swift response of the police prevented what would have been a bloody crisis.

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ernest Ibhaze, in a special announcement early on Friday warned that anyone who foments trouble would be arrested and prosecuted.

"We are reliably informed that some trouble makers want to infiltrate our faithful worshipers today during or immediately after the Friday prayers. Their aim is to cause trouble and a reign of destruction in this peace loving state.

"My dear good people of Kaduna state, I urged you to say No to violence, No to riots, No to destruction. What we need at this stage is prayers and sober reflection so that Muslims and their Christian brothers can continue to live in peace. The police have not granted anybody or group permit for procession or rally. Any one who foments trouble or sponsors chaos will be arrested and prosecuted. A word is enough for the wise" the police commissioner's announcement read in part.

Muslim youths in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, had on Wednesday attacked Christians and burnt churches while protesting a Christian woman's alleged blasphemous remarks against Prophet Mohammed. Police made several arrests in connection with the violence, during which an estimated 40 shops were also ransacked. Riot-police fired canisters of tear gas on about 50 protesting youths, who marched on Dutse demanding that the woman -- currently in police custody -- be punished.

Neither police nor witnesses were able to say exactly what the woman was accused of saying. "There have been some disturbances this morning with religious overtones following some unguarded utterances capable of offending religious sensibilities in the community," Jigawa state police spokesman Ejike Nwokolo told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

No fewer than six people are believed to have been injured. But no life has been reported lost. The North-West zone Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab, said in a telephone interview with newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday that the spontaneous protests started following an alleged blasphemy of Prophet Mohammed by a female Christian simply identified as Jummai from Kaduna State. According to Hayab, it was a male Muslim youth who first blasphemed Jesus Christ following a heated argument between them in which the female Christian retaliated, thus sparking off the protest.

The CAN secretary wondered why a mere argument between two people should result in such wanton destruction of places of worship. "This is a heinous crime in the name of religion. Why should some people always think that they have the monopoly of violence? At this critical moment in the chequered political history of the nation, we need to preach peace and not violence under the guise of defending a religion," he stated, adding that about 10 churches were burnt down.



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