SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR AT OWO WHILE ON CONDOLENCE VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY THE DAY AFTER GUNMEN ATTACK ON WORSHIPPERS AT SAINT FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, ON MONDAY JUNE 6, 2022
Protocols,
WE ARE NOT DETERRED
We received the sad news of the attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, yesterday in which many lives were lost and others wounded. This is cowardly, barbaric and
absolutely condemnable and condemned.
While the motive of the perpetrators is yet to be established, there is no doubt that their cowardly act is intended to cause chaos and instill fear in the people, foment trouble and provoke bloody inter and intra ethnic crises.
It is worrisome that this is happening in the region of Nigeria that has a measure of peace and tranquility. This could only have been intentioned to destabilize the state and plunge the nation to
needless crisis.
Their action is capable of widening the cracks in national harmony and peaceful coexistence of Nigerians, stoking ethnic and religious crises and pitting our people against one and other on the basis of primordial cleavages.
I am therefore appealing to you to reject this ugly and backward agenda and refuse to take any rash, inappropriate, primitive and precipitate action in the spirit of revenge. We should clearly
identify the enemy and their mission. Our neighbours from other parts of the country with whom we have lived together in peace and harmony, are not and cannot be the enemy. We must not be provoked to senselessly attack on each other in reaction to the evil plot of some nihilists and criminals bent on plunging the nation into chaos and anarchy.
Those who attacked innocent people worshipping in the house of God are the enemies. They are nothing more than cowardly savages and animals.
I can assure however that the entire security
system of Nigeria is on the trail of the enemies that sneaked in on us to wreak this havoc. We are on their trail, they will be apprehended and made to pay dearly for this unprovoked attack.
The security of lives and property of Nigerians is number one agenda of government. This is the prime charge of President Muhammadu Buhari to all ministers and heads of departments and agencies of government. I just came in after attending a regional GIABA Ministerial Committee Meeting in Saly-Portuda, Senegal, on anti-money laundering and Counterterrorism financing, which I chaired. We are doing everything possible to make the nation secure and peaceful. The federal government is outraged by this attack and will leave no stone unturned in getting to the root of the attack.
I appeal to our people to be calm, peaceful and vigilant. I will like to encourage the Omo Olowos, equivalent civil society organizations in neighbouring communities, Yoruba traditional institutions and royal fathers to work with the law enforcement agencies in fishing out those who carried out the dastardly acts and bring them to justice.
Let me equally appeal to conspiracy theorists to direct their speculations and imaginations to the appropriate security agencies; The Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, rather than poisoning the social media platforms with provocative tales and unfounded innuendos.
As we mourn and grapple with the fallout of this attack, it is important that every community and civil society organisation be involved in the security of our land by being vigilant and
informing law enforcement agencies of suspicious persons and activities. We should all work to make it the last time this will ever happen.
We must remain irrepressible and undeterred. We should not give the enemies the benefit of rejoicing over us. The attack was meant to dampen our morale and plunge us to gloom and darkness. We must bounce back big time. But we should rise to defend our land and take our historic position in leading the black race to fulfilling their destiny.
I offer my deepest sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families, the good people of Owo and the government of Ondo State. I pray for the repose of the souls of the departed. May God comfort them and be with them in this trying period.
The Arewa Consultative Forum( ACF) has hail the 50% reduction of school fees for indigent students by the incumbent Governor, of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf as exemplary and worthy to emulate by other governor’s.
Gov. Yusuf has recently cut down 50% reduction in the registration fee for the 2023/2024 academic session for all Kano State indigenes studying regular courses at the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Yusuf Maitama Sule University Kano, Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso, Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta and other state owned tertiary institutions accross the state to cushion the worsening economic situation people have been going through.
While reacting to the governor’s initiative, the Chairman of the forum, Dr. Goni Farouk Umar described the decision as both revolutionary and a hallmark of visionary leadership.
He noted with delight the Kano State government’s resolve to restore its foreign scholarship programme designed to sponsor 1001 best graduates which demonstrates the government compassion that resulted in the payment of N700million registration fees for 700 Kano State students at the Bayero University Kano.
The ACF leader noted that both the slashing of the fees in state owned institutions, and the off-setting of the BUK fees would go along way to ease the burden on parents and the students occasioned by the current economic hardship.
Dr Umar who describe education as power, and pivot in society’s advancement, prayed for the successful implementation of the government’s pro-poor education policies.
He also appealed to all sections of the community to support educational development in all facets.
President of Nigeria, Mr Ahmed Bola Tinubu will honour Zamfara pilgrim Hajiya A’ishatu ‘Yan Guru Nahuce who found $80,000 in Saudi Arabia during the last Hajj exercise and return the money to it’s rightful owner. Chairman Zamfara State Hajj Commission, Alhaji Musa Mallaha has revealed.
Mallaha disclosed that the president is overwhelmed by the act of honesty exhibited by the female pilgrim hence he directed the National Hajj Commission to organize a national press conference to interview the woman for record keeping while in Saudi.
When the directives was given by the president according to Mallaha, the woman was already airlifted back to Nigeria adding that arrangements are in top gear to ensure the presidential directives is implemented as soon as possible.
Mr. Mallaha who revealed that president Tinubu expressed delight and pointed out that Hajiya Nahuce has brought respect and honour to her country Nigeria said the commission’s preparation towards the national press conference in Nigeria now will include the State governor, Dauda Lawan keying into the activities.
Mallaha further said that her honesty is a pride to all Muslims accross the globe.
The woman during the last excise stumbled into the money while performing Tawaff at the Ka’abah, she said that she kick the bag of the money to a distance for fear of been trample upon if she bow down to pick it up because of the large crowd. An Arab Pilgrim who saw her action pick the bag and gave it to her thinking that it was hers.
Mrs. Nahuce who was sponsored to Hajj by her son’s revealed that it was her first trip to the holy land.
She further revealed in an interview that, she took the money to the officials of her local government Hajj commission and handed it over. The officials met Saudi Authorities and within few days the owner was found and the money was returned to him.
She commented that she was not aware of the magnitude of her action until she was back home to Nigeria where she understands that the news went viral before her arrival
Nigerian Army neutralized seven Armed Bandits while several others flee with gunshots wounds in the late hours of Monday.
The bandits in large number according to reliable source attempted to infiltrate and attack the troops at Kango Sabuwa. The gallant troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadarin Daji in conjunction with troops deployed at Forward Operating Base Wanke were steps ahead of them.
This was achieved by the troops in an ambush operation along the route suspected to be used by the Bandits.
The troops Shortly after the encounter proceeds in pursuit of other fleeing wounded bandits, recovered 1 Machine Gun, ammunition and 6 Motorcycles from the armed bandits.
The Commander Joint Task Force Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji, Major General Godwin Mutkut commends the troops for their bravery and resilience in dealing with the Armed Bandits.