The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, has condemned the recent massacre of villagers at a market in Kasuwar Daji, a community located in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack, which occurred on 3 January was reportedly carried out by terrorists suspected to be members of the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction. During the raid, at least 35 people were killed and an unspecified number of others—mostly women and children—were abducted.
According to residents, the attackers displayed extreme brutality. Many dead victims were found with their hands tied behind their backs. Before retreating, the terrorists set fire to numerous homes and the village market.
In a statement released by its secretary-general, Khalid Aliyu, the JNI expressed deep sympathy for the government and people of Niger State over the massacre.
“For how long shall innocent, unarmed Nigerians continue to suffer the cruel and unjustified termination of their lives?,” the organisation posed.
The JNI stated that the frequency of such attacks has become unbearable for the Nigerian public.
“To say the least, we have become deeply terrified,” Mr Aliyu stated. “This carnage is one incident too many. Time and again, the JNI has reacted to similar tragedies through press releases, yet the violence persists.”
Below is the full JNI statement condemning the attack
Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji (Dr.) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, after careful assessments and follow-ups on the Kasuwar Daji bloodbath, condemns in the strongest terms the mayhem unleashed on innocent citizens at the market.
The JNI also sympathises with the government and people of Niger state, on the gruesome murder of over 30 innocent people. But for how long shall innocent armless Nigerians continue to suffer cruel and unjustified termination of their lives?
To say the least, we have become so much terrified, as the carnage was one incidence too many to bear and times without number the JNI has reacted to such similar incidences in the past through press releases.
It should be stated that this singular act of Kasuwar Daji, in Borgu LGA of Niger state could have been averted, if due attention was paid to our earlier statement, wherein we stated that: “North-Central state Governors should be on the red alert, as criminals are crawling towards the Zone, with North-East having witnessed two of such school girls abductions and North-West with the Maga episode, the North-Central states with mangrove trees and/or thick forests should do more than paying lip services to security matters and; government at all levels in collaboration with different security agencies must rise against the tide of insecurity in whatever guise, through proactive measures and nipping it in the bud, before it becomes cataclysmic for the Nigerian state.”
This very wanton killing and similar others in Borno, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto and Zamfara States calls for serious introspection, especially that the 2027 General Elections is fast approaching.
But for how long would we continue to wait in vain? For how long, shall we continue to condemn acts of terrorism without any concerted efforts in ending it? And for how long would we continue to remain hopeless in precarious situation such as what was witnessed in Kasuwan Daji and other places within the last 40 days?
Be as it may, the JNI is stunned and very much concerned over the unfortunate well-coordinated renewed attacks, outright killings, kidnapping for ransom and school children abductions.
Government needs to do more in interrogating the events that culminated to the unfortunate dastardly cum recurring acts. We nonetheless, commend the federal government, especially the Nigerian Airforce, as well as the armed forces for the airstrikes reportedly carried out targeting the terrorists and killing many of them in Borgu, Niger state, some part of Kwara and Zamfara states recently.
The tempo should be sustained across board and the need for serious territorial airspace tech cum GPRS control and usage is now more needed than ever and Nigerians are desperately yearning for concrete actions.
Thus, we call on the government to:
1. Always identify promptly with victims and places of attacks by being physically on ground to commiserate with the people – it is better late than never.
2. A national broadcast after the visit would be very necessary, to dissuade reprisals. Clearly, people are angered over many recent happenings affecting the downtrodden and government needed to act fast.
3. Prosecute officials that are found wanting in the discharge of their assignment(s), so as to serve as deterrent to other nonchalant officials.
4. Collaborate with relevant security agencies with a timeline to bringing an end or at best truncate all security threats bedeviling the country and also mop small arms and light weapons (SALWs) in the hands of criminals, or else Nigeria will continue to witness the rise arms proliferation for self-defense amongst Nigerians since the government failed to do so.
5. Spare no effort to immediately provide support to all the affected communities, as many are now displaced, becoming internally displaced persons (IDPs) in their own land, which further speaks volumes, considering the attendant social nuances often associated with IDP camps.
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While we call on the Muslim Ummah to intensify prayers – seeking Allah’s intervention for an end to these repeated sad pogroms, our heartrending condolences go to the families of all the murdered in the Kasuwan Daji massacre, and all other similar victims in other state of the federation.
May Allah, the Most High, console the respective families that loss their loved ones and strengthen them to bear the loss, heal and restore good health to all those that sustained various degrees of injuries. May He also guide aright those in authority to be alive to their responsibilities. Amin.
