Bisola David
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam leadership has denounced the killing of 47 herdsmen by the Nigerian Air Force during unintentional airstrikes in Nasarawa and urged the federal government to find the guilty and bring them to justice.
According to The Punch, the head of the JNI and spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims is Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto.
In a brief statement released in Kaduna on Thursday, the JNI through its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu also urged the Federal Government to make amends for the victims’ families’ loss of loved ones in the attack.
The group asserts that the government should thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading up to the tragic bloodshed in Doma and that it should also look into its military, particularly the Nigerian Air Force.
The JNI issued a warning against the government brushing the tragedy under the rug, claiming that it is one incidence too many given that the attack was planned to sow terror among farmers and ranchers in Nasarawa state.
The statement read, “Jama’atu Nasril Islam condemns the carnage in the greatest terms following meticulous analyses and following of events as they transpired over the Doma barbaric incident.
“It also expresses solidarity with the Nasarawa State government and people over the horrible slaughter of more than 40 innocent Fulani herdsmen in the Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Following the horrifying slaughter of hundreds of cows by the ‘unidentified people,’ who did it without the help of the local security services.
In actuality, some sources stated that helicopters had bombed the victims, while others reported that there had been a horrifying, randomly orchestrated onslaught on the victims from several angles.
“There were too many incidents of the carnage to handle. It should be noted that Doma’s one-of-a-kind act of heartlessness was an intentional ploy to terrorize farmers and herders.
The Sultan group urged the government to “Identify with victims and areas of assaults by commiserating with the people, it is better late than never,” claiming that Nigerians were eagerly awaiting real action on the issue.
“A national broadcast would be essential following the visit to deter retaliation. It is obvious that people are upset about several recent events that have hurt vulnerable, innocent people, and that the government must take swift action.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria should compensate (Diyya) the families of the deceased, for equity, justice, and to eliminate any chance of retaliation or retribution.
“Prosecute officials who are deemed to have failed in carrying out their duties in order to act as a deterrence to other careless officials.
“Collaborate with relevant security agencies with a timeline to ending, or at least averting, all security threats plaguing the country and also mop-up small arms and light weapons in the hands of criminals, or else Nigeria will continue to witness the rise in arms proliferation for self-defense among citizens, since the government is apparently not so disposed to doing so.”