—24-hour curfew imposed as churches, mosques burnt
By Samuel Aruwan and Abdulraheem Aodu, Kaduna
What would have been a bloody religious crisis was yesterday averted in Kaduna state after Muslim and Christian youths clashed in Kachia town, headquarters of Kachia local government area of the state.
The incident led to the burning of places of worship, residential houses and shops belonging to adherents of different faiths.
The state government and security agencies quickly imposed a 24-hour curfew in the troubled town that is about 100 kilometres from Kaduna town, capital of the state.
There are many versions relating to the cause of the clash, but it was gathered that some Christian youths destroyed an Eid praying ground at the weekend while some Muslim youths in protest yesterday destroyed a church, Nasara Baptist Church, and in between led to the escalation of the crisis.
The Christian youths too destroyed mosques in the cause of free for all fight.
Blueprint could not reach the chairman of the local government, Hon. Peter Agite, but sources said the crisis was triggered by the destruction of the praying ground belonging to the Muslims in the area.
It was gathered that the Muslim community two months ago reported that Christian youths destroyed their praying ground, and an emergency meeting was called to address the matter.
It was while mediation was going on that the praying ground was torched for the second time at the weekend.
A senior security officer who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said if not for prompt deployment of military personnel and mobile policemen, Kachia would have plunged into a serious ethno-religious crisis.
He said, “I am telling you, if not for rapid deployment, we would have been singing another song now. The youths on both sides were well armed and they burnt places of worship, houses and shops.
“It started like a play and it clearly shows that both sides are armed and there is need for prompt action to urgently contain threats to peace in Kachia and environs.”
As at the time of this report, there was no confirmation of death from the police, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in the area.
In his reaction, the state Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, last night said the government would not fold its arms and allow enemies of peace to cause mayhem.
In a statement issued through his spokesman, Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero said: “Government will not fold its arms and allow ‘enemies of peace’ cause mayhem in our state.
“I call on all law-abiding citizens to go about their businesses without fear of intimidation as security forces have already been directed to deal decisively with trouble makers.”
The governor assured the people that security agencies had already commenced investigations into the cause of the crisis and would not spare anyone found culpable “no matter their status in the society.”
“We will no longer tolerate these acts of unwarranted violence against innocent citizens; enough is enough,” he said.
He urged people in Kachia and the entire state to continue to live peacefully with one another irrespective of diversities, adding that difference in tribe or religion does not affect the common aspirations of the people to live in peace and tranquillity.