[Nexus]

Tension as fears of reprisals spread over Kano mayhem


WITH the Federal Government’s deployment of soldiers in ethno-religious crisis-ridden Kano yesterday, fears of reprisals spread nationwide with South East governors assuring residents from other parts of the country of their safety.

The development came as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, who was in Kano yesterday to sympathise with victims of the riot sued for peace and described the incident as unfortunate.

Kano, scene of a bloody violence perpetrated by some youths who went on rampage, killing and maiming members of other religious sect, looted and destroyed their victims’ properties, is gradually recovering from the crisis.

In Awka, Anambra State yesterday and inspite of the warring by the state government that it would deal decisively with perpetrators violence in any part of the state, Hausa resident were virtually of the streets, shops and most other public places where they normally conducted business.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe avenue, the main concentration of Northern traders of its former self yesterday as they locked up their kiosks and glued their ears to transistor radios for developments in Kano and around the country.

Such was also the case at Onitsha cattle market mar bridge head.

Hebre, traders of Northern origin clustered in groups listening to radio and ignoring customers who came to buy their cattle.

The traders were obviously being cautions, guided by a past experience when violent killings of Ndigbo in Kano and elsewhere elicited reprisal killings in such southern cities as Aba and Owerri.

However, in a press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe, the Anambra State Government alerted of attempts by some miscreants and hoodlums to disturb public peace and order ostensibly because of the crisis in Kano State.”

It warned that law enforcement agents are carefully handling the crisis in Kano and blamed the media for exaggerating the death toll in the Kano killings.

The government advised the people to go about their lawful duties as the police and other security agencies are addressing the crisis and the situation is under control.

Governor Chris Ngige also appealed to both Christians and Moslems to Christians live harmoniously as brothers and sisters and to avoid any acts or pronouncements likely to cause a breach of public peace.

Ngige warned that “law enforcement agents will not hesitate to deal decisively with anyone who forments trouble under the guise of avenging the killings that have not been recorded as rumoured as a result of the disturbances in those parts of the country.”

He assured the public of adequate measures to protect lives and property of all its subjects irrespective of their religious affiliation.

Also, the president of Nigerian Youth Awareness Group for Orji Kalu 2007, Group for Alhaji Salisu Mohammed has described the killings as politically motivated.

In Owerri, Umuahia and Aba where such reprisal attacks had occurred in the past most Hausa residents were said to have fled the towns for nearby rural villages.

Maccido while in Kano urged Nigerians to co-exist peacefully saying: “since one must live and co-exist with others, we must endeavour to live peacefully. Nigerians have the right to live anywhere in the country hence the need for the people to live together.

Friday, May 14, 2004

http://www.dailytimesofnigeria.com/DailyTimes/2004/May/14/Tension.asp

[SJackson]

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From Iraq to Israel, the Sudan, Nigeria, Thailand, allah and his pals from the acccckkkkkk bar are on a roll this month.

	Women walk past a burnt-out building in the Shekar Maidaki area of Sharada industral estate in Kano, northern Nigeria, May 14,2004. More than 600 people are believed to have been killed and thousands rendered homeless during religeous clashes in the city on May 11. REUTERS/George Esiri
	Children search amongst the burnt remains of their homes in the Shekar Maidaki area of Sharada industral estate in Kano, northern Nigeria, May 14,2004. More than 600 people are believed to have been killed and thousands rendered homeless during religeous clashes in the city on May 11. REUTERS/George Esiri
	Local Christian people arrive aboard trucks as they fled the suburbs of the northern Nigerian city of Kano to seek police protection after coming under attack from Muslim mobs.(AFP/Pius Utomi Ekpei)
	Soldiers keep watch sitting at a roundabout in central Kano. Thousands of Christians fled their burning homes in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, as Muslim gangs defied a huge security operation to launch sectarian attacks in reprisal for a massacre earlier this month.(AFP/Pius Utomi Ekpei)
	Blessing Adaiye, who lost her sister in the chaos, cries at the police command camp for displaced people in Kano northern Nigeria, Wednesday, May 12, 2004. Muslim rioters waving machetes and clubs torched cars and buildings in a second day of strife Wednesday, as the death toll climbed above 20 from unrest sparked by earlier slayings of Nigerian Muslims by Christian ethnic fighters
	A police officer writes down names family members of displaced people who are still missing in Sharada area in Kano, northern Nigeria, Wednesday, May 12, 2004. Muslim rioters waving machetes and clubs torched cars and buildings in a second day of strife Wednesday, as the death toll climbed above 20 from unrest sparked by earlier slayings of Nigerian Muslims by Christian ethnic fighters.