Ado Bayero and the
Nigeria Labour Congress,
NLC, have declared that
the motive behind last
Monday’s bomb attack on
a motor park in Kano
which claimed the lives
of more that 75
passengers was to cause
another civil war even as
the Federal Government
warned that it will no
longer tolerate wanton
destruction of lives and
property in the country.
This was even as
traditional rulers in the
South East geopolitical
zone, yesterday, in
Enugu, urged Igbo to
remain calm over the
bombing which claimed
the lives of many people
from the area.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo
had said on Wednesday
that it could no longer
guarantee the response
of its people to the
continued killings of
Ndigbo in some northern
states.
The NLC and Emir spoke at
separate occasions in
Kano and Abuja
respectively.
Alhaji Bayero who spoke
while receiving the
visiting Federal
Government delegation
to his palace noted that
there was no other
reason behind this
ungodly act (bombing)
than to create tension
and cause chaos in the
country even as the NLC
expressed optimism that,
“we will overcome them
if we refuse to fall for
their ploy, by not carrying
out reprisal attacks.”
*Burnt luxury buses AFP
PHOTO
Bayero said, “I feel
saddened to hear
everyday that somebody
has been killed here or
there; yet we cannot
figure out what is
happening, and who is
behind this. I feel the
Federal Government
should do more to fish
out the perpetrators of
these heinous acts to free
Nigeria and indeed, our
state from the festering
mess.
“Something is missing in
this whole circle of
violence, and I feel that
government should do
more to fish out the real
people behind this orgy
of violence. Nigerians
were living harmoniously
both in Kano and I
believe all over the
federation regardless of
tribe and religion but all
of a sudden, we now find
ourselves in this mess.
Government should wake
up and confront the
challenge.’’
The Emir who was a
victim of a recent attack
by some unidentified
gunmen, added that, “in
my assessment, Nigeria is
in a serious situation; the
killings everyday of
citizenry will certainly
not augur well for the
nation and that is why I
believe that somebody is
behind this which
demands that
government must fish out
whoever is behind it
now.’’
He, however, expressed
concern over the non-
implementation of
suggestions submitted to
the Presidency by the
Northern Elders some
eight months ago despite
the assurances by the
government to do so.
Northern elders flay non-
implementation of
position
The Northern Elders
through Alhaji Yusuf
Maitama Sule had earlier
complained to Bayero
over the non-
implementation of its
position paper submitted
to the Presidency on
ways to resolve the crisis
in the North.
The elders who visited
the Emir included Justice
Mustahpa Akanbi, Yahaya
Kwande, Sheik Lemu,
Paul Unongo, Air Marshal
Lamis Dagash, John Wash
Pam, Sani Zangon Daura,
General Abdulrahaman
Dambazau among others.
But, the NLC in a
statement asked
Nigerians not to be
intimidated by the
various bombs and
suicide attacks, saying
that the masterminds
were evil forces who
were incapable of
advancing any cause
except evil.
Labour also urged
Nigerians to rise in unison
and with common accord
to preach peace and
unity in the country, as
according to it, “these are
difficult moments indeed
but we must rise to the
challenge in the hope
that in the end, good
shall triumph over evil.”
The NLC statement was
signed by its Acting
President, Comrade
Promise Adewusi.
Perpetrators evil—NLC
According to Labour, “The
NLC condemns the
unjustifiable act of horror
perpetrated in Kano by
yet to be identified
bombers which left
scores of passengers and
other users of a motor
park dead. It was
cowardly and shameful
and incapable of
advancing any cause
except evil. The Congress
believes that no cause is
worth killing innocent
Nigerians for.
If motor parks where
ordinary people use or
eke out their daily living
are no longer safe, where
else could be safe? Yet
we urge the people of
Nigeria and citizens of
other nations domiciled
in Nigeria not to be
intimidated. These are
difficult moments indeed
but we must rise to the
challenge in the hope
that in the end, good
shall triumph over evil.
“We call on every law-
abiding citizen to be
vigilant and forge a sense
of community with their
neighbour(s) to
overcome this temporary
challenge. We also call
on our law enforcement
agents to rise to the
challenge of combating
terror and to especially
focus on protecting
defenceless and
vulnerable people.
To be able to do this
successfully, our
intelligence and security
agencies need all the
support they can get from
government. In
furtherance of the above,
we wish to invite the
government to, as a
matter of urgency, do all
that is necessary and
explore legitimate
avenues to bring to an
end this insurgency. We
dare say this includes
addressing the remote
and immediate causes of
this phenomenon, re-
equipping our
intelligence and security
forces to be proactive
and also be able to cope
with new challenges”.
The Igbo traditional
rulers who rose from
their executive council
meeting in Enugu
condemned the
continued killing of many
Igbo in the north on
account of activities of
the Boko Haram
insurgency and urged the
Federal Government to
take urgent steps to
protect their people.
FG should protect Ndigbo
—S-East monarchs
Chairman of South East
Council of Traditional
Rulers, Eze Cletus
Ilomuanya, who briefed
newsmen, said the
council advised Ndigbo to
remain calm till further
notice, adding that the
monarchs had dispatched
emissaries to Kano to
obtain the real number of
Igbo casualties.
He said the council had
also initiated moves to
reach President Jonathan
and lamented what he
described as persistent
acts of violence in Kano
and other parts of the
north on Igbo, warning
that if the government
failed to guarantee the
security of lives
especially of Igbo, the
people would resort to
self-help.
“We will set up
machinery to investigate
the incident to unravel
the immediate and
remote causes of the
tragedy,” Ilomuanya said.
A statement signed by
the Secretary General of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Joe
Nwaorgu, read, “We
condemn the sponsors
and perpetrators of the
continued cold blooded
murder of fellow
Nigerians. The Igbo
nation is taking the
heaviest toll on the
casualty list and Ndigbo
are grossly pained by this
organised pogrom on her
people.”
FG laments insecurity in
the North
Meanwhile, President
Goodluck Jonathan
yesterday warned that
his government will no
longer tolerate
destruction of lives and
property and challenged
Kano State government
to deploy the resources
of government in dealing
with the situation.
Minister of Interior, Mr
Abba Moro, who led a
delegation of the Federal
Government to the state
lamented the conflict in
Kano and some Northern
States of the country,
saying the situation
would no longer be
accepted, especially the
destruction of human
lives, which we never
created.
Mr Moro told Kano State
Governor Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso that “We are
here as a delegation of
the Federal Government
at the instance of
President Goodluck
Jonathan to commiserate
with you, government
and people of Kano State
over the unfortunate
bomb blast that shook
the foundation of this
state and claimed so
many lives and property.
“Cases of wanton
destruction of lives and
properties, which took
years to put in place
would no longer be
acceptable and all of us,
government at all tiers
and levels, Nigerians and
friends of Nigerians
should accept the reality
that security is a joint
responsibility of
everybody”.
Incessant conflicts ‘ll
drive away investors
from Kano
He also noted that “the
destruction of valuable
and critical infrastructure
in recent times in the
State has depleted Kano,
known for its huge
commercial activities and
the great danger of
continued conflict in this
ancient city would drive
investors away from Kano
and this would do an
incalculable damage to
the economy of Kano and
indeed Nigeria”.
He added that “all efforts
are being intensified to
ensure that Nigerians are
protected wherever they
are.”
Governor Kwankwaso in
his remarks, explained
that the state
government was doing
its best to protect lives
and property of residents.
Kwankwaso said: “We
were already collecting
names of those who died
in the attack and from
what we see, they may
comprise of mostly
natives and people from
this part of the country
 |
| Kano blasts meant to cause another civil war, say Emir of Kano, NLC |
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