₦airaland Forum

The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday directed all zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and the 36 state commissioners of police to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Nigerians during and after the Easter festive season.
Abubakar, in a statement by the Force spokesperson, Frank Mba, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said the command commissioners of police should personally ensure that all key and vulnerable points within their jurisdictions, including places of worship, recreation centres, motor parks, highways and financial institutions are adequately protected.

His directive came on a day the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described the continuous bombings in some northern states as genocide against Christians and called for the prosecution of members of Boko Haram who are behind the terrorist attacks and their sponsors.

The IG, in his statement, congratulated Christians in Nigeria as they join their brethren across the globe to mark the 2013 Easter season, which begins today with the celebration of Good Friday, a symbolical day in Christendom to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

While reminding Christians that the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter morning was preceded by a painful crucifixion as the price to atone for the redemption of mankind, Abubakar urged Nigerians to emulate and adopt the selfless lifestyle of Christ.

He urged them to be open minded to issues of forgiveness, peace and harmonious co-existence, in consonance with the principles and teachings of Christ, especially in this trying moment in the nation’s history.

Abubakar called on Nigerians to respect the nation’s diversities, especially in the light of the sacrifices being made by security operatives, who like Jesus Christ, are constantly subjected to all forms of dangers, risks and deprivations, including the hazards of death in the line of duty, in order to secure lives and property as well as protect the corporate existence of the nation.

He saluted police officers and men for their courage, dedication, tireless and selfless services to Nigerians and the country and restated the resolve and commitment of the present police administration to reposition the police force for greater efficiency.

While commending Nigerians for their patience, understanding and cooperation with the police in the fight against crime and criminality, the IG urged them to continue to support the police with useful information that will effectively assist them in tracking down criminals.

He expressed the willingness, determination and commitment of the police to discharge their responsibility of securing lives and property and called for prayers and support of all Nigerians for them to realise the objective.

On a day Abubakar was suing for understanding, CAN decried the fate of Christians in the north who have been subjected to constant attacks by Islamic militants.

It described the continuous bombings in the north as genocide against Christians and urged the federal government to take steps to redress the situation.

CAN General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, at a news conference in Abuja, also dismissed the claim that there is war in the north.
He said killings have continued unabated in some parts of the north because “there is no prosecution of those who go out to kill.”

He demanded the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects in detention to show that the federal government is sincere in taming the sect.

“The assertion in some quarters that ‘the north is at war’, does not represent the reality on the ground. From our records, day-in-day-out, Christians in the north are the ones under an unprecedented siege by various groups of well-armed, roundly trained and heavily funded groups bent on expressing their hate against Christians and the Christian faith through mindless mass murder of men, women and children.
“There is no war in the north. What we have is genocide against people of the Christian faith. The state of the nation calls for concern. And so is the state of Christendom at this trying time in the history of our nation.
“The situation demands urgent action, if we are not to descend into a state where every man is to himself,” he added.

Asake expressed regret that what began as an inter-tribal skirmish at Asakio in Nasarawa State between the people of Eggon and Alago and later between Migili and Eggon at Agyaragu had assumed a religious dimension, leading to the burning of many churches and houses as well as the killing of some pastors.

He also drew attention to the situation in Kano, Yobe, Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa and Katsina States where he said that aside from banning the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in schools, some of the state governments have in the last 13 years refused to grant new building permits to churches or given approval for the renovation or expansion of churches.

“While the preaching by Christians is restricted within church premises in the core northern states, Muslim clerics are free to preach hateful and inciting sermons with no hindrance,” he said.

CAN decried instances where indigenous Christians in the north are treated as third class citizens in their fatherland, noting that with the series of callous attacks on Christians, it could no longer encourage them not to defend themselves.

According to CAN, “One major source of concern to us in CAN is the Nigerian government’s failure to prosecute all the arrested persons allegedly backing Boko Haram.

“The picture that emerges from this is that government is insincere with its much-touted war against the sect members, one good reason why the government is yet to flush out the group.
“Government must acquire a reputation for being taken seriously on this matter by the populace. It must also acquire the spine to prosecute any member of the sect already in the government’s net.

“To do otherwise is to make most Nigerians believe that some classes of Nigerians are untouchable.”

In the meantime, the last minute rush by Nigerians wishing to travel to different parts of the country to celebrate the Easter holiday with friends and family resulted in absolute mayhem at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos yesterday.

Owing to the limited number of airlines operating at the moment, thousands of passengers were seen at the airport trying to board flights to different parts of the country but were unable to get seats to board their flights.

Arik Airline, which operates from GAT, was overwhelmed and could not cope with the number of passengers who besieged the airline yesterday.
Also, the spillover of travellers and last minute shoppers making their way to the airport and markets respectively, was felt on Lagos roads Thursday, as the city experienced horrendous traffic jams that left commuters groaning in agony.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ig-orders-increased-security-for-easter/143522/