•Makinde to Fed Govt: expose perpetrators •Activist: it’s barbaric
Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda has condemned last Sunday’s suicide bombing of a Catholic church in Kaduna.
Eight worshippers were killed in the attack and scores of others were injured.
The governor described the attack as barbaric, unfortunate and an act of cowardice aimed at creating disaffection among Nigerians.
Yuguda commiserated with the government and the residents on the attack.
The governor urged them to avoid reprisals.
He said: “Vengeance is for God and He will do it at the appropriate time.”
Yuguda spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Michael Ishola Adeyemi.
The governor urged those killing their fellow beings to have a change of heart.
He said: “Such an act will never take those killing others to Heaven but will rather lead them to the suffering of the Hereafter when every soul will be made to give account of every deed while here on Earth.”
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba yesterday blamed Sunday’s bombing on evil and jealous individuals, who want to create divisions between Christians and Muslims.
In a statement in Abuja, the senator noted that the blast was coming on the heels of the euphoria that greeted the elevation of Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Bishop John Onaiyekan, as a Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.
He said it was worrisome that the incident happened after the Eid-el-Kabir in which Christians joined their Muslim brothers and sisters to celebrate.
The Cross River Central lawmaker congratulated Onaiyekan on his elevation.
Ndoma-Egba noted that evil forces, which were not happy with the peaceful Sallah celebrations, with “Christians joining their Muslim brothers to celebrate the festival, were behind the weekend bombing”.
He added: “It is curious that two days before the dastardly act, Christians and Muslims gathered together on Sallah Day and celebrated the festival.
“This was an unprecedented first, which we all thought would usher in the much-needed peace for a state that has reeled from countless bombings in the past.
“I find this new spate of bombings not only wicked but also evil, for anyone to wreak such havoc less than 24 hours after followers of both religions celebrated together in the spirit of peace, tolerance and brotherhood.”
The Senate Leader advised those affected to avoid reprisal killings but leave vengeance to God.
The North’s socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and the Muslim umbrella body in the region, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, yesterday condemned the suicide attack on St. Rita’s Catholic Church at Ungwan Yero in the Malali area of Kaduna.
The ACF, in a statement by its National Publicity, Anthony Sani, said the attack was inhuman.
It noted that the attacked occurred when there was an agreement among religious leaders that killing is not a part of any religion.
The forum noted that those who resort to killing innocent people to address perceived grievances should embrace peace in the interest of the nation.
The statement reads: “The news of suicide bombing of a Catholic church in Kaduna, which took place on Sunday, resulted in the death of eight people and injury to many. It is totally condemnable because of its inhumanity, especially at a time leaders of all religions have agreed that killing oneself and other people in the name of God is not in line with God’s injunction in favour of the sacred inviolability of the individual with a clear sense of what is right and what is evil.
“It is more distressing, considering the efforts being made by the youth across all faiths to bring about lasting peaceful coexistence in Kaduna.
“Those who, therefore, derive pleasure in killing themselves in order to kill other people in the name of God to address their perceived grievances should lay down their arms and embrace constructive dialogue, precisely because resorting to violence can never solve the problems.”
The JNI urged security agents to ensure that those bombing the country are brought to justice.
In a statement by its Secretary-General, Sheikh Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the JNI prayed that those involved in the act would fail to cause chaos in Kaduna.
The statement reads: “Jama’atu Nasril Islam, under the leadership of Sa’ad Abubakar (the Sultan of Sokoto), received with bewilderment the news of the bombing at Unguwar Yero, Malali, Kaduna, on October 28 during a church service.
“We condemn the act in its totality and call for calm and restraint. It is our prayer that the perpetrators behind the act will never succeed in causing chaos in Kaduna.
“However, we implore the security agents to be more vigilant and intensify measures of curbing this dastardly act of bombings. As for those affected, we pray for a better return of what they have lost and the families of those who lost their lives, may Allah grant them fortitude to bear the loss.”
A rights’ activist Shehu Sani said: “The reported attack on the Catholic Church in Unguwan Yero Ward, Malali area of Kaduna stands condemned. It’s a dastardly, evil, ungodly, barbaric and unprovoked attack.
“It’s an attack on our freedom, peace and humanity. The attack is a savage and despicable onslaught against civil liberties and our constitutional rights to life and religion. We condemn it without reservation…”
SOURCE: 30 October 2012.
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