 |
| Kwankwaso |
Increasing
attacks by the Boko Haram Islamic sect may have forced Northern
governors, emirs and prominent citizens of the region to review their
attendance at mosques.
Investigations by our correspondents
revealed that the governors and VIPs had come under increased pressure
to change their security arrangements, following incessant attacks and
killings of Muslim faithful by Boko Haram gunmen targeting prominent
individuals.
Over the last few months, some Northern
traditional rulers and top serving and former government officials have
been targeted at mosques by suicide bombers and gunmen for elimination.
Among them are the Emir of Kano, Alhaji
Ado Bayero; Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Umar Garbai el-Kanemi; Emir of Fika,
Alhaji Muhammadu Idrissa; a former Minister of Mines and Power, Alhaji
Shettima Ali-Monguno; former Controller-General of the Nigeria Prison
Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Jarma; and Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji
Zanna Mustapha.
Jarma and his two guards were shot dead as they left a mosque in Azare, Bauchi State in September 2012.
Ali-Monguno was kidnapped by Boko Haram
gunmen shortly after performing the Juma’at congregational prayers at a
ward in Mafoni ward in Maiduguri.
On April 13, 2007, about 5.30 am, a
renowned Kano-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam was shot
while leading the Fajr (Morning) prayer at the Dorayi Juma’at Mosque.
The assassins shot him at close range, tearing his chest and abdomen.
Shortly after the incident, he was
rushed to Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital where he died before he
could receive medical attention.
Before now, security was usually
increased around churches after targeted attacks on churches after the
2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla in
Suleija, Niger State.
Only last week, the spokesman for the
Military Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, had in a statement in
Maiduguri, warned politicians, civil servants and traditional rulers
among other VIPs to be security conscious.
He based his advice on intelligence
which indicated that members of the Boko Haram sect had concluded plans
to kidnap prominent Northerners to raise funds.
Sagir said, “Intelligence available to
the task force has indicated that Boko Haram terrorists have resolved to
concentrate more on kidnapping than robbery.
“They alleged that kidnapping is more lucrative, less dangerous and requires short time to plan and execute.
“Similarly, a special kidnapping squad
has been earmarked and tasked by the Boko Haram sect to kidnap persons
who could be wealthy relations, politicians, businessmen/women,
traditional rulers, senior civil servants and foreigners alike.”
A number of state governors are not taking Sagir’s statement lightly.
In Kano State, for instance, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of his cabinet have for some time now avoided public mosques.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that they
had restricted their Friday prayers to the heavily fortified mosque
situated within the Government House, Kano.
The Kundila Juma’at Mosque located
within the Kundila Housing Estate, which played host to the cream de la
crème of the state’s Muslim elite like the Kano Central Mosque, located
behind the palace of the Emir of Kano; now enjoy heavy security presence
on Fridays.
A security source said, “It has become obvious that the elite and members of their family can no longer walk freely.
“The situation has been made worse by the abduction of Monguno in Maiduguri two weeks ago.”
The situation is not different in the northern cities of Maiduguri, Kaduna, Damaturu, Gombe, Sokoto, Gusau, Katsina and Yola.
In Kaduna, the popular Sultan Bello
Mosque, which shares a fence with Arewa House around Ugwan Sarki area,
also enjoys a heavy security presence.
An Improvised Explosive Device hidden in
a polythene bag at the mosque killed a police bomb detection officer
who tried to defuse it about two years ago.
One of our correspondents also observed
an unusually high security presence at the Ansarudeen Mosque located at
Abeokuta Road in Kaduna in the last few Fridays.
The movement of most of the state
governors, especially on Fridays, has become a closely guarded secret as
some move in silent convoys avoiding the use of sirens which was common
place.
Reacting to the situation, Dr. Juniad
Mohammed, a social critic and Convener of Concerned Northern
Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, said such would
be a welcome development.
He said, “I quite frankly will be happy
if that were to be the case because the Nigerian elite have been
irresponsibly negligent about security.
“And they tend to confuse their roles as leaders of government with that of being politicians.
“Violence inside mosques is not unknown
to Islam. That is why Islam favourably looks at arrangements to secure
the lives of public figures that go into the mosque.
“For example, the second Kalif, Kalif Umar, was assassinated inside a mosque.
“There are several instances where
murders of emirs and Kalifs were committed inside mosques throughout the
history of Islam, including some imams in mosques in Baghdad and in
holy places in the holy land in Jerusalem.
“For example, the grandfather of the
present King of Jordan was assassinated in the grand mosque in
Jerusalem. So, nobody can use Islam to say that because he wants to go
to the mosque he should expose himself.
“If they don’t take care of themselves, that is their own business. Of course, the best protection is to be just and fair.
“And even if you are just and fair, like
Kalif Umar was, they can learn from that unfortunate occurrence of more
than 2000 years ago to protect themselves.
“So anybody who thinks he can use the
mosque or use the current fashion of religiosity; to go and show how
great a Muslim they are, they should think twice.”
Source: SATURDAY PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment