Zamfara killings: ‘Where is Nigeria’s govt?’

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has queried the essence of a government in Nigeria when scores of people are killed daily across the land.

The apex Islamic body in the North said government at all levels must stop acts of terror unleashed on innocent persons and restore peace and security.

It said this is the first constitutional role of any government.

JNI was reacting to killings in Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states by bandits.

In a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, JNI noted that the Zamfara, Borno and Yobe killings were reprehensible and unacceptable as hooligans and those it called wayward persons held Zamfara State to ransom.

The statement reads: “Where is the government? Where are the security agencies? Where are the political, community and religious leaders? Where is our conscience? Where is the humanness in us? Above all, where is our Islam? Where is the Qur’an and its pristine teachings? Where is the Prophetic guidance in his Sunnah?

“Why must all the bloodletting be allowed to resurface? All these recurring acts of terrorism, dehumanisation, sacrilege of sanctity of life and all forms of wickedness are utterly and unreservedly condemned in their entirety and government must go beyond mere condemnations.

“The Zamfara State carnage has now claimed uncountable number of lives and destruction of property; it has continued unabated for years. What then is the essence of government and security outfits?

“We should all be reminded that, that was how Boko Haram insurgency started and it has now snowballed into a full-blown security threat to the nation! We must not see it as a face up to Zamfara State, as already the spill-over of it has been witnessed in Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto Kebbi and Katsina states in the name of armed banditry and kidnappings.”

Calling for realistic investigation that must bring similar occurrence(s) to an end, JNI noted that it was disheartening that after attacks were lunched on settlements, sporadic gunshots followed and then setting the communities ablaze ensued in Zamfara State.

JNI said the evil that men do lives after them, and will continue to hunt them.

The organisation said it will continue to ask questions, saying: “Who are the blood-thirsty fellows? Why have they been allowed for years? Why have they not been arrested and interrogated? What has been the motive behind such repeated scandalous acts? Isn’t intelligence gathering supposed to aid security operatives, and why is it not yielding the desired results? Why the renewed attacks now, just few months before the 2019 general elections?

“JNI has been keenly following the unfolding events in Zamfara, Borno and Yobe states, overtime, which unfortunately climaxed with the recent serial massacres in Maradun, Tsafe, Birnin Magaji, Maru, Baga and Kukareta, among many others.

“We, therefore, call on government at all levels to do everything possible, as a matter of urgency, to stop these evil acts of terror repeatedly being unleashed on innocent souls and restore peace and security, which is their first constitutional role, as silence is no longer golden.”

Efforts to get the reactions were unsuccessful last night.

JNI commiserated with the families of the victims and condole with those of gallant security men who died at the battle fronts, as well as husbands and wives, parents and guardians of those who lost their wards/children to the attacks.

It prayed the Almighty Allah to grant the deceased forgiveness and mercy and the injured quick recovery.