Wake up to your responsibility, Sultan-led JNI tells Buhari

Sultan of Sokoto; President Muhammadu Buhari\

Olufemi Atoyebi and Godwin Isenyo

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, has asked the President Muhammadu administration to wake up to its statutory responsibility of protecting lives and property of Nigerians across the country.

The wake-up call, according to the Muslim body, became imperative following the killings by suspected herdsmen of villagers in the Bassa LGA, Plateau State.

The National Publicity Secretary of the JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, stated this in a statement in Kaduna on Monday.

The religious body condemned the attack which left several people dead and over 150 houses destroyed.

It cautioned security operatives against taking sides with any warring party in Plateau State and other parts of the country.

The JNI also called on the authorities not to spare anyone culpable in the sundry attacks, adding that the attackers should be fished out and made to face the wrath of the law.

The statement read in part, “The Jama’atu Nasril Islam received with grave concern, the news of premeditated killings of innocent persons and destruction of properties worth millions in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, as well as Rukuba Chiefdom in the same Bassa LGA.

“Attacks and counter-attacks were carried out repeatedly and reports reaching us state that over 150 houses were razed while animals were not spared.

“The JNI condemns in the strong terms the heinous attacks in their totality.

“We nonetheless, expect the Plateau State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria through their respective relevant agencies to wake up to their respective responsibilities of protecting lives and property.”

The JNI called on the citizens to eschew bitterness and live peacefully with one another.

“We also call on government to provide relief materials to all affected victims as they are now in utmost need for such.

“Similarly, the need for an all encompassing surveillance in flash points on the Plateau cannot be overemphasised to avoid a recurrence of the incident,” the Muslim body said.

Fulani kills artisan in Oyo

A 25-year-old welder has been killed by a Fulani man in his shop in the Sabo area of Orile-Igbon town in Oyo State after a fight broke out at a joint close to the deceased shop.

Eyewitnesses said the killer approached the victim, Joshua Adeniyi, who had just arrived at his shop from a naming ceremony on Saturday, and stabbed him in the chest, killing him before escaping from the scene.

Brother of the deceased, Timothy Adegboyega, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, said while the suspected killer escaped, those who witnessed the killing arrested his friend who came with him.

Adegboyega said, “I trained Joshua in welding work and after he graduated, he started working with one of my former apprentices who has a shop close to the scene of the incident.

“On Saturday, he attended a naming ceremony and returned to the shop later in the evening. Beside the shop is a joint where youths play game and relax. Some Fulani men also patronise the place. From what we heard, the assailant was not provoked by my brother. Those who saw him said he was drunk when he approached my brother and stabbed him in the chest. Joshua died before he could reach a hospital. The killer escaped while people were trying to save the life of my brother, but his friend was apprehended.

“We have had cases of Fulani men fighting people with cutlasses and knives in this area. Anytime they have misunderstanding with our people, they use these weapons to injure our people. They terrorise our farmers in the farms and now they are coming to our town to continue their heinous crime.”

Mother of the deceased, Iyabo Adeniyi, said Joshua was the last of three children, calling on the police to ensure justice was served on his killer.

The Public Relations Officer of the Oyo State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed the crime, saying the suspect had been arrested.

He added that a full investigation, as directed by the state Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, was ongoing.

Gunmen kill Kaduna patent medicine vendor

Some gunmen stormed Abeokuta Street in the Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday, killing a patent medicine vendor, Alhaji Tajudeen Adegbite.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen arrived at the patent medicine store owned by the deceased about 8.30pm on Sunday, took snacks and soft drinks at a nearby shop before descending on their victim.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “He was shot at close range and died today (Monday).

“After taking soft drinks and snack, they went into the patent medicine store and invited the owner, Alhaji Tajudeen Adegbite, outside and shot him.

“They jumped into a waiting car and sped off, leaving the victim in a pool of blood.

“Neighbours called the police who arrived at the scene and took Adegbite to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mukhtar, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the police received a distress call and immediately dispatched a team to the scene of the incident.

Mukhtar said the Commissioner of Police, Austin Iwar, had ordered a manhunt for the killers while investigation was ongoing.

“We are working round the clock to arrest the perpetrators of this gruesome act.  We also call on the public to help us with information to may lead to tracking down the killers,” he added.