LAGOS—CATHOLIC Pontiff, Pope Francis
has condemned the deadly attacks that occurred at the Emir of Kano’s Central
mosque in Kano, which claimed about 200 lives, describing it as an “extremely
serious sin against God.”
Pope
Francis made the comments yesterday, the final day of his trip to Turkey.
Apart
from those killed, about 135 people were wounded when two suicide bombers blew
themselves up and gunmen opened fire during weekly prayers on Friday at the
Grand Mosque in Kano.
Pope
Francis on Sunday joined forces with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Batholomew I
to make a rare joint pledge of support for the embattled Christians of the
Middle East. On the final day of his first visit to Turkey, Francis also urged
an end to the millennium-old schism between the Orthodox and Catholic churches
and said this was all the more urgent due to the violence against Christians by
Islamic State (IS) extremists. AFP PHOTO
In a
meeting with Turkish political and religious officials, at the start of his
second trip to the Middle East this year, the Pope further urged Muslim leaders
to condemn the “barbaric violence” being committed in Islam’s name against
religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.
The
Pope’s comment is coming two days after the attack in Kano, which was also
condemned by President Goodluck Jonathan, who has ordered full-scale
investigation into the attack, emphasising his administration’s commitment to
ending the incessant attacks which the Red Cross says had displaced more than
400,000 persons.
Although
no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the Boko Haram sect is the
prime suspect, as the group had carried out similar attacks in the past.
In like
manner, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, who condemned the attacks urged Christians and Muslims to join
forces to defeat the terrorists.
Health
workers suspend indefinite strike
To reduce
the number of deaths arising from the attacks, the leadership of the Joint
Health Workers Union has directed its members to return to duty, urgently.
The
Secretary of the health workers’ union, Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir told
journalists that its indefinite strike “is hereby suspended following the
Friday attack on Kano central mosque where hundreds of worshippers were now
rushed to the hospital.”
Members
of the union at Aminu Kano teaching hospital and National Orthopaedic Hospital,
Dala had joined their counterpart across the country on indefinite strike over
age-long demands from the Federal Government.
Meantime,
thousands of residents, yesterday, trooped to hospitals to donate blood in
response to the clarion call to assist victims of the blasts.
Blood
donors troop to hospitals in Kano
At Aminu
Kano Teaching Hospital, voluntary donors patiently waited to donate blood.
Chief Medical
director of Aminu Kano Teaching hospital, Prof. Zakari Muhammed, confirmed that
the hospital recorded large turn out of voluntary donors who were eager to
assist the victims.
“The
large turn out of people here this morning is quite impressive and we are very
happy to have them and on our part we have deployed our staff to ensure the
exercise went smoothly,” Professor Zakari said.
We won’t
be deterred —JNI
Umbrella
body of Islamic groups in Nigeria, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has said that it
will not be deterred nor cowed by the way Muslims were being killed in Nigeria,
particularly in the North. In a statement by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid
Abubakar Aliyu, JNI said: “We are indeed shocked and pained beyond words over
the news of the bomb blasts in Kano Central Mosque, which claimed the lives of
over 100 innocent Muslims.
“But must
blood be spilled to justify the extension of state of emergency? Why is it that
anytime, the ineffective state of emergency is about to elapse and or an
extension is being sought, attacks are carried out with sophistication? Are we
really aware of the repercussions of spilling the blood of innocent souls? What
is the essence of the government’s war on terror and its attendant huge budget?
Where are the intelligence and security agencies? Can we afford to continue
relying on them for our safety and security? Why? We ask ad infinitum
with no satisfactory answers. Without mincing words, Nigeria is being
misgoverned to the brink!
“JNI
condemns in the strongest term, these repeated acts of terror being unleashed
on Muslims and calls on Muslims to remain calm and keep vigil over happenings
around them; take all defensive measures within the purview of the laws to
protect themselves since government has clearly failed.”
Christians,
Muslims must join hands to defeat terrorists – Tinubu
National
Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
yesterday, condemned the Kano terrorist attack, urging Christians and Muslims
to join forces to check the terrorists.
Commiserating
with the people of Kano and their Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi Tinubu, in a
statement by his media office said: “During the last few days, Nigeria has
suffered intense attacks and grave loss of lives due to the evil work of
terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Attacks
against numerous locations in the North-East demonstrate how heinous and
debased Boko Haram and those who sponsor it have become. So depraved, they have
become heartless and filled with enmity against all that is good and proper. This
was not the act of human beings. These attacks could only have come from the
hands of those who do not know God or serve God. This is the act of godless
people.
“Those of
us who love peace, who love unity and who love Nigerian can never allow this
vile group to achieve its objective – to turn us into a bloodied and divided
nation. Nigeria can and will defeat this terrorist machine and those behind it.
We have no other home. We have no other choice.”
CAN
condemns Kano blasts
Umbrella
body of Christians in the country, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN
also condemned Friday’s attacks in Kano, saying that “the entire Christian
community in Nigeria received the news of the latest in the series of bomb
explosions, this time around at the mosque near the emir’s palace in Kano, with
shock and disbelief. This is most unfortunate given the number of people that
lost their lives in their bid to offer prayers to their Almighty in the usual
Friday worship at the mosque.”
On behalf
of the entire Christian community under the auspices of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN), its President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
commiserated with the families of the victims especially those who lost their
lives in the attack.
CAN said
a recent interfaith meeting that had representations from the hierarchy of both
faith in attendance emphasised the need for dialogue, mutual relations,
cooperation and unity in the renewed fight against insurgency in the country.
Attacks
‘re barbaric–S/East
govs
On their
part, the South East Governors’ Forum (SEGF) while commiserating with the
families of the victims, described last Friday’s Kano Mosque attacks as
“senseless attack on innocent worshippers.”
The
Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji who
conveyed the condolences of the forum also commiserated with the people and
government of Kano State over the unfortunate incident.
In a
statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Ajunwa, the governor
described as “barbaric and incomprehensible” the activities of those behind the
bombing “whose mission and agenda have no trace of sanity”.
The South
East governors also described as “the height of profanity and disdain for God”,
the killing of worshippers at the place of worship. Anyone that has the
temerity to kill a worshipper before his God for whatever reason or cause has
no regard for God and can never claim to be fighting for Him as Boko Haram
wants us to believe”. They also appealed to the international community not to
sit idle and watch Nigeria tackle her security challenges alone.
B/Haram
has rendered one million Nigerian homeless –Red Cross
Meanwhile,
the Nigerian Red Cross Society said more than one million Nigerians have fled
their homes and over 8,600 civilians have been killed since 2013 following Boko
Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Secretary
General of the Nigerian Red Cross, Mr. Bello Hamman made this revelation in a
press release made available to Vanguard at the weekend.
He
revealed that over 70 towns and villages in the mostly affected Borno, Adamawa,
Yobe, Kano, and Kaduna states have been deserted because of Boko Haram attacks.
Those
mainly affected are women and children seeking refuge in some states in Nigeria
and neighbouring countries of Cameroon and Niger republics.
As part
of it social and humanitarian concern and responsibility to the Internally
Displace Persons IDPs, the Nigerian Red Cross has launched CHF 2,777,899 appeal
fund to reach 150,000 IDPs in the country.
The
organization calls on individuals and corporate bodies to support the Red Cross
to enable it assist IDPs in areas of improved health care, provision of clean
water, sanitation facilities, emergency shelter, non-food items and hygiene
among other things.
Vanguard
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