Blames FG, State for their conspiratorial failure to stop the atrocities
By Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
Disturbed by the increasing sectarian killings masterminded by unruly youths in Northern Nigeria, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Tuesday condemned the growing activities of Islamic fundamentalism among extremists in the northern part of the country.
It also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to make a national broadcast on the ugly trends immediately.
Besides, the rights group also reiterated its call for the immediate reorganization of the nation’s top security architecture and personnel to make the hierarchies a reflection of the ethno-religious compositions of a multi-ethnic nation such as Nigeria.
In a statement in Abuja, its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmnuel Onwubiko, described the killing of eight Christian students of the Zamfara State Polytechnic in Talata-Mafara in Zamfara State by youths for alleged blasphemy as outrageous, primitive, gruesome and absolutely intolerable even as it demanded severe penalties for the offenders including the death penalty.
According to him, “The growing activities of Islamic fundamentalism stems from the widespread belief by the Northern youthful hoodlums that top security positions are in the hands of just a section; Islamic segment of Northern Nigeria and therefore they have the license to commit anti-Christian hate crimes.
“Both the Federal and Zamfara State authorities must be blamed for their conspiratorial failure to stop the atrocities and for failing to adopt proactive measures to check such primitive criminal acts particularly when such a dastardly crime had happened nearby in Kano State only a few months ago.
“The Nigerian State has consistently refused to carry out the most primary duty of government which is the protection of lives and property which as clearly spelt out in Section 14 (2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, the government’s primary responsibility is the security and welfare of the people.”
HURIWA however blamed the problem on the unconstitutional elevation of a particular religion above all other religions in most parts of Northern Nigeria by Northern Governors despite the constitution saying otherwise in Section 10; “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State religion.”
