20th March, 2013
There was pandemonium at the Sabon Titi axis of Sharada Phase 111, in Kano today, following sporadic shooting in the area.
The cause of the gun fire could not be ascertained, but factory workers were forced to close for work.
Meanwhile, The streets of Sabon Gari, a community predominantly dominated by non-natives in the northern Nigeria city of Kano were deserted Wednesday morning.
Non-natives were mourning those who died during last Monday’s terrorist attack at New Road Luxury Bus Terminal.
Only few movements of school children going back home were noticed. All markets were shut down, as people were sighted in groups discussing in low tones, the suicide bomb attack at the New Road Luxury Terminal last Monday, which triggered multiple explosions that claimed no fewer than 60 lives and got many seriously injured.
Leaders of non-indigenes in the volatile commercial city ordered their subjects to sit at home, pray and fast for the repose of the souls of the dead and the quick recovery of the wounded.
His Royal Highness, Igwe John Chiejina Nnaji, Eze Di Ora Mma IV in Kano; Dr. Jimpat Aiyelamgbe, president of Non-indigenous Leaders; and Chief Tobias Michael Idika, President of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo in Kano at separate interviews told P.M.NEWS that the last Monday attack remain the worst carnage against non-ntives in Kano in recent times.
“We are in grief. As you can see, everybody is in a mourning mood. We directed our people to sit at home and seek the face of God. What has happened is a sin not only against God but against humanity.
“We are also praying that God will intervene and bring to an end this entire orgy of senseless killings; and we do hope that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will rise up to the challenges and proffer lasting solution to all these avoidable problems of insecurity of lives and property threatening the corporate existence of this country,” Igwe Nnaji said.
Dr. Aiyelamgbe said perpetrators of terrorists activities see Nigeria and Nigerians as enemy and urged the government to take drastic steps to curtail their activities, “so that the lives of innocent and hapless Nigerians will not be so threatened.
“You see, all these incidents were bound to happen; and if you ask me, I will tell you that it is a fall out of long years of bad, visionless and selfish leadership. It is a quagmire that started long time ago
“We have urged our people to pray for the souls of the departed; and also pray for the return of peace and stability in the country. As it stands now, it is only God that can save the situation in the country,” Ailamgbe noted.
The Medical Doctor who is also a Pastor frowned at Kano Police Command’s report that only 22 people died during the bomb attack, describing the claims as baseless, “now, look at the logic, how many people are there in one fully loaded Luxurious bus? And about five buses were affected.
“So, looking at this, it is clueless to tell people that only 22 people died. From the Yoruba end, we are still taking record of the casualties. You see, it was a very bad situation—so bad that you cannot identify the drivers, conductors and passenger—even children whose parents do not know their whereabouts since the incident occurred,” he added.
Chief Idika said that the Igbos in Kano were worse hit by the incident, “our properties and the lives of our people were wantonly destroyed. We are mourning them today and our hearts are heavy.
“We use this opportunity to call on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to immediately set up a special committee from the presidency to look into this issue; because from the way things are going, we do not believe Kano state government can handle it effectively. The incident and its wreckages are apparently beyond the state government,” Chief Idika noted.
—Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano