Northern activists condemn Kano killing, Avengers’ threat

A coalition of northern activists, under the umbrella of the Northern Consensus Movement (NCM), has condemned the killing of an Igbo woman, Mrs. Bridget Agbahime in Kano, just as it took exception to the threat by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to launch attack on places in the north.

The group, in a statement yesterday in Kaduna by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jibrilla Gadzama, expressed dismay over the gruesome murder which the assailants justified with her alleged blasphemy on Prophet Muhammad (SAW), labelling the action as barbaric undertaken out of wickedness and ignorance.

The coalition, while lamenting the use of jungle justice by a group of misguided youths, said all forms of grievances should be reported to constituted authorities for the law to take its course.

“This unfortunate act is uncalled for, especially at this crucial period of our national existence when inter and intra personal relationships between Nigerians from all regions remain increasingly fragile thereby negatively affecting the peaceful coexistence of citizens in various parts of the country.

“Islamically, if any Muslim or non-Muslim commits such an offence, it is not the prerogative of any person or group of persons to take laws into their hands but to direct to the custodians of the law to ensure that the rule of law takes its course,” the statement read in part.

Besides, NCM stressed the urgent need for religious leaders to embark on sensitisation of the public, especially those in the northern part of the country, against the dangers of taking laws into their hands when similar events occur in future.

“We are therefore, calling on the authority concerned to immediately intervene in the issue in order to avoid possible escalation of violence as a result of the terrible incident”.

On the seven-day ultimatum issued by NDA to attack places in the north, the coalition said: “Northerners are not cowards and no amount of baseless threats and the brutal or unnecessary killings of our people will deter us from protecting the interests of Northern Nigeria.

“Enough is enough of this IPOB madness in the form of killing, intimidation and harassment of northerners residing in the South Eastern part of the country as we shall no longer accept such nonsense,” it stated.