The Jama’atu Nastril Islam, JNI, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has expressed angst over the high rate of abductions, killings, ethnic violence and resurgence of Boko Haram insurgents in the country.

The group in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Professor Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, also said the Federal Government has not been proactive on security matters in Nigeria, expressing shock over repeated failure of intelligence in nipping attacks on individuals and communities by kidnappers, bandits and insurgents.

Efforts to get both the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Information to react to the claim, however, proved abortive at press time, as neither the spokesman of the President, Bayo Onanuga, nor the Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, could be reached.

But in its statement, titled “The Plateau Christian Mobs’ attack on unsuspecting Muslim wedding guests in Plateau State and other security threats in Nigeria calls for decisive action.”

JNI wondered why perpetrators of Plateau wedding guests’ killings and others in the past had not been prosecuted and punished, despite repeated assurances by both the federal and state governments.

It also said Nigerians were getting restive and losing confidence in the ability of government at all levels to protect them.

On the killings of the wedding guests in Plateau State, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, last night, however, asked the JNI to stop the blame game.

Recall that the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi and office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, were set ablaze in Kwara State on Monday, following the rising wave of kidnappings in the area.

The JNI stated: “The Federal Government should be seen to be proactive on security matters. The recurrence of security cataclysms, including abductions, killings, renewed attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and ethnic violence here and there in Nigeria is alarming, and there is urgent need for redress.

“Citizens are becoming more and more agitated, especially with the Mangu carnages. Flashpoints are known and nothing seemed to be done. Thus, deployment of security personnel to flashpoints should be well-coordinated.”

Reviewing the killing of wedding guests, who were on their way from Zaria, in Kaduna State, to Plateau State, in Mangu Local Government Area of the state, the JNI stated: “The national headquarters of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, after careful situational assessment and follow-up of events that unfolded, after the Plateau Christian mobs attack on unsuspecting and defenceless Muslim travelers (who were on their way to a wedding in Quanpan), Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, joins other well-meaning Nigerians to condemn in the strongest term the barbaric killings.

To say the least, the Plateau Christian militias have shown the world that their bestial demeanour knows no bounds; it only changes location and time for barbarism. It is on record that their heinous activities had once led to the declaration of state of emergency in 2004, by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“They have continued to perpetrate serial attacks on innocent Muslims travelling along routes of the Plateau over the years. In fact, they brazenly attacked Muslim worshippers on an Eid day on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at the Rukuba Road Eid praying ground.

“They, in a most cruel fashion, displayed on cameras how they roasted Muslims and exposed the victims’ skulls. More distressing is the attempted rationalising of the bloodthirsty mobs’ action by a local government official, saying it was a ‘case of mistaken identity.’

JNI alleges killings were premeditated

“It then means that the whole action was consciously executed. No wonder that in the same Mangu, a Jumu’ah, Friday mosque, was demolished and the premises turned to a market space. The case of some intolerant people preventing the rebuilding of the Central Mosque in Langtang North destroyed over two decades ago, is another case in point.

“It should be noted that before and after the grotesque slaying of Muslims in Plateau State, no serious punitive measures were taken against perpetrators over the years by the Plateau State Government.

“As the conventional (albeit ceremonial) condemnations are issued by Plateau State Government and the federal authorities, this is not enough deterrence in checking the excesses of the rampaging murderers.

“Condemnations alone can never stop these repeated madness, hence a decisive action by governments must be seen to be done swiftly. Justice delayed is justice denied. It is also disheartening that till this moment, the Plateau State government is yet to visit the government of Kaduna State and the deceased victim’s families.

“When the Uromi killing happened, we saw the promptness, with which the governor of Edo State travelled to Kano State, calmed frayed nerves and assured Kano State Government of all necessary reprimands. What then is holding back the Plateau State government?

“In fact, where in the world can this gruesome murder be perpetrated without attracting the attention of conscious humanity? Has any Plateau citizen(s) ever been so dehumanised in other states of the federation? Aren’t they thinking that their uncivil, bestial demeanour could lead to reprisals?

“The gory pictures and narratives of the survivors from the repeated attacks are so mind-boggling! Moreover, are Nigerians not beginning to make mockery of themselves in the comity of nations? Starting from 1994, 1995 and 1997, cycles of conflicts have erupted on the Plateau due to the intolerant and divisive tendencies of the Plateau Christian bigots. In the same Mangu Local Government Area, sometimes in 2001, over 300 lives were lost due to well-coordinated killings by Christian chauvinists. The infamous Quan Pan, Yelwan Shendam and Kuru Genta massacre of the Muslims cannot be easily forgotten. From 2022 to 2023, over 500 people were killed in Bassa, Jos North, and Shendam local government councils, as well as Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas. This is just to mention but a few.

“The national headquarters of JNI is seriously disturbed by these worrisome patterns of Plateau killings.

The acts, while horrifying, are not unprecedented and it tends to normalise unlawful deaths in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, on September 3, 2018, Brig. Gen. Idris M. Alkali, retd, was ambushed and murdered around Dura-Du in Jos South.

“His body was dumped in a well, a chilling symbol of how Plateau roads devour travellers. In 2021, over 20 Muslims of Ikare extraction were murdered in Jos North, while travelling to the South-West from Bauchi.

“That same year, 27 Fulani Muslims returning from Bauchi were lynched along Rukuba Road, Jos. In 2023, 11 traders were murdered along Gindiri–Mangu axis by assailants who vanished into the hills, without consequence.

“Daily reports indicate frequent profiling, intimidation, and killing of Muslims and northern travellers along Jos–Shendam, Jos–Barkin Ladi, and Mararaban Jama’a–Farin Lamba corridors. In fact, Gen. Alkali’s assassination led to the discovery of so-called declared missing vehicles of passengers in the Du pond, whose passengers no one knows!

“Well, if the late General’s meritorious 35 years with the Nigerian Army cannot earn him his liberty, even after death, what more do we expect for ordinary unarmed citizens?

“It is also disturbing that the Zuru Local Government Area killings and some parts of Kebbi State and Isa Local Government Area threats by bandits in Sokoto State, as well as the resurgence of Boko Haram in parts of the North-East, especially in Borno State, have continued untapped, as well as the killing of Muslims and destruction of mosques in some parts of Benue State went unreported.

“However, the JNI condemned unequivocally the recent killing in Yelwata, also in Benue State. The Mariga killing of military officers by bandits in Niger State is frightening and remains condemned. This fratricidal trend is unprecedented in our hitherto peaceful societies’ past.

“Therefore, governments must be proactive through intelligence gathering, public enlightenments and orientations. Perpetrators of such attacks must be seen to be fully and justifiably brought to book to serve as deterrent to other would-be perpetrators.

“Having reviewed these tragic developments, we in the name of Allah, the Most High, implore against any form of reprisal attack. Security agencies should be on the alert and intelligence gathering should be enhanced and intensified against any possible retaliatory attacks.’’

Consequently, the group called for the immediate and public prosecution of all suspects arrested in the Mangu killings, stressing that the process must be transparent to serve as deterrent to others emboldened, by the government’s posture of not punishing culprits.

It also asked the Plateau State Government to pay compensation to the families of the 12 persons killed in the attack and settle the medical bills of those injured.

The JNI equally asked the Plateau government to replace the 18-seater bus of the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, the victims were travelling in, which was completely razed.

“We also expect the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria, MULAN, and well-meaning civil societies and organisations to seriously seek redress for the deceased Mangu victims through the courts of law, because justice delayed is justice denied.

“While we continue to express our sincere condolences to all the victims of the Mangu attack and several other security ridden communities, we are calling on governors, relevant security agents and agencies and nongovernmental organisations to find a lasting solution to these repeated, senseless killings becoming normalised in Nigeria,” JNI stated.

JNI also alleged bias in reports by The Netherland-based Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, ORFA, saying such reports were skewed in favour of Christians.

The ORFA reports revolve around data gathered on abductions and killings of Christians in Nigeria.

“They (ORFA) should seek genuine information, for their reports favour Christian. It is prejudiced and subjective,” it stated.

Stop the blame game on Plateau killings, CAN tells JNI

Reacting to the JNI’s position on the killing of wedding guests in Plateau State, Reverend John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, for the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, urged JNI and other religious organisations to move beyond blame and unite to tackle the persistent violence in Plateau State.

In an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, Hayab stressed the importance of accountability, unity and sincere dialogue in addressing the cycle of bloodshed that continued to plague the region.

“Let them fear God now. That is my response. When we reduce these killings to lies, accusations, or a competition for sympathy, the violence in Nigeria will never end,” Hayab stated.

Reverend Hayab condemned the attacks, noting that CAN had consistently spoken out against all forms of violence.

He, however, cautioned against framing the conflict in terms of which group had suffered more, saying it distracts from urgently needed solutions.

“People must stop the blame game and confront the truth. Yes, indeed,” he said.

Addressing claims that casualty statistics had been skewed in favour of Christians by international bodies, Hayab challenged critics to present credible evidence contradicting his knowledge of events, particularly in Southern Kaduna, where mass burials had become distressingly frequent.

“Can they come forward and paint a different picture from what I know? Who is killing whom in Southern Kaduna? Where we have buried 30, 40, 50, 20, even 10 people at once. Our consistent message has always been to work together to end the killings and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said.

While the JNI has called for balanced reporting and attention to underlying causes such as land disputes and ethnic tensions, Hayab echoed the need for a broader approach.

He urged religious leaders across board to condemn violence from within their own communities and prioritise peace-building.

“If we truly want to address the root causes of this crisis, we must stop pointing fingers and call a spade a spade,” he stressed.

He pointed to his own swift condemnation of the Mangu killings as an example of the accountability needed from faith leaders.

He queried: “When the Mangu incident occurred, I publicly condemned it and described it as driven by the wrong spirit. I’ve made that clear in numerous media interviews. What more do they want?” (Vanguard)