Religious rioters torch 10 buildings in Jigawa
From Saxone Akhaine, Kaduna
NIGERIA once again relapsed into sectarian violence yesterday as a band of irate youths went on rampage in Dutse, Jigawa State capital. They looted and set ablaze 10 worship centres.
Although no life was lost, the Police appeared helpless in stopping the rampaging youths.
The anger was said to have been sparked off by an alleged blasphemous comment on Prophet Muhammed by a Christian woman, who reportedly spoke in reaction to a similarly irreverent statement about Jesus Christ by a male Moslem.
As the state capital was thrown into turmoil, Christians and other non-indigenes fled to Police Barracks to escape the wrath of the rampaging youths.
The North-West Zone Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, in a telephone call to The Guardian, gave the name of the female Christian as Jummai, a resident of Kaduna.
Hayab expressed surprise that a mere altercation between two people could lead to such wanton destruction in the name of religions.
He said: "This is a heinous crime in the name of religion. Why should some people always think that they have monopoly of violence? At this critical moment in the chequered history of the nation, we need to preach peace and not violence under the guise of defending a religion."
Nigeria is not new to religious tensions resulting in heavy human and material losses.
In 2001, soldiers were called upon to quell skirmishes in Jos, Plateau State where an ethnic and religious conflict claimed hundreds of lives.
Burnt-down houses and churches, and torched cars lined the streets, while the state governor, Chief Joshua Dariye, put the casualty figure at about 300.
Property and human beings were randomly set on fire, and shops looted during the violence, which lasted from September 7 to 17.
The state government had to call up soldiers and impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew to restore a semblance of order to the once-serene city.
A number of churches and mosques were destroyed in the riots. Three church buildings of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) were set on fire. The Assemblies of God lost its main cathedral, and the Jos Apostolic Church was razed.
On September 7, 2001, a Christian woman attempted to cross a barricaded street, which led to a scuffle between her and a group of Moslems. The fight spread to other parts of the city, where Christians were spontaneously attacked.
President Olusegun Obasanjo lamented the violence between the faithful of both religions.
"We are not only citizens of one nation but also children of one God," President Obasanjo said during a visit to Jos to assess the extent of the destruction, adding: "Though tribe and tongue may differ, though religions may differ, in brotherhood we stand."
The President also said: "Christians are as indispensable to Moslems as Moslems are to Christians," adding: "There shall never be a time when our society shall be totally free from differences."
Pleading for mutual respect and understanding, he said: "We must therefore resolve our differences without resort to violence. Violence has never solved political, economic, social or religious differences. Violence can only lead to more violence."
The Sultan of Sokoto and the spiritual head of Nigerian Moslems, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, also decried the use of religion as a tool for violence. He said: "No religion will support violence, harassment, victimisation and all vices, let alone murdering of innocent people. No religion will encourage segregation, discrimination and suppression."
Religious rioters torch 10 buildings in Jigawa
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