The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has urged the
authorities to probe the gruesome killing of 13 factory workers identified as
Christians at Sheka, Sharada Phase 111 in Kumbotso Local Government Area of
Kano, by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members.
Although CAN has started its own probe of the killings, it
wants the police to unravel what really happened.
Reports said terrorists stormed the residence of the factory
workers at the weekend and killed all the men except, sparing the women and
children..
“The occupants of that compound are mostly factory workers,
and they are Christians. The gun men who came in taxi asked if they were not
observing the evening Muslim prayers; and when they confirmed their victims
were Christians, they started killing them sparing only the female and
children.
“After the attack, I counted at least, 13 dead bodies
murdered in gruesome manner. Security agencies later came and evacuated them,
while the very few of them who survived the attack fled the area and vowed
never to return,” said a resident of the area.
Bishop Ransom Bello, CAN chairman in Kano has been in a very
bad mood, not only because of the killings but what he described as the
non-challant attitude of Kano state government over the incident.
Bello who is also the General Overseer of Calvary Life
Assembly said he has handed over the matter to CAN’s national leadership,
adding that with what is happening, it has become obvious that Christians are
no longer safe in Kano.
“Reports of the attack reaching us disclosed that on that
fateful Saturday at about 7 p.m, Muslim faithful were conducting their prayer
close to the affected compound occupied by Christian families, when two taxi
cabs stopped in front of the compound and the occupants, who all concealed
their arms dashed into the complex and demanded to know why the residents were
not part of the 7 p.m. Muslim prayer.
“They responded by telling the visitors they were Christians
and so could not be part of the Muslim gathering. At that point, they separated
the men from their wives and children and shot them dead on the spot after
ordering the women and children into their homes. The 13th victim, who hid in a
dark alley in the compound, surrendered himself, following threats by the
gunmen to visit the same fate on the women and children if any man was found
shielded,” Bello recounted.
“We are pained over the silence of the relevant authorities
in the state, including the government on such a high profile murder. Even
though we believe it is the handiwork of extremists, who do not see the reason
why the Muslim North should accommodate Christians. We are really worried that
nobody from the government has deemed it right to console the family of those
that were killed,” Bello lamented.
He added that, “government should show more concern, like it
has always done when Muslims are affected; I have not seen that in the case of
Christians—that 13 Christians were killed in one straight attack and nothing is
heard from the government reflects selective justice because we are aware of
compensation paid to Muslim families in situations of this nature.”
Kano state Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura confirmed the
incident, saying that a special investigative team has already been dispatched to
fish out the killers of the 13 men.
Daura who described the incident as unfortunate,
embarrassing and barbaric, urged Kano residents to cooperate with security
agencies by giving useful information on crime, terrorist activities and
strange movement within their areas.
[Source: PMNews]
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