Things are falling apart. Not in Chinua Achebe’s classic, but in Kaduna, North West, Nigeria. In what seems to be a repeat of trends the government seems to be helpless. If this was the plan of the ‘dreaded militant group’ Boko Haram, then the aim has been achieved. Brothers are at war and like the president has asked we should all revert to God for safety!

Kaduna is in turmoil as I write this. There are reported cases of violence in various areas of the state. Since Sunday bombing of 2 churches in Zaria and another in Trikania, Kaduna South, sleep has been murdered. People heading to Kaduna from Jos are turning back on getting to Zangokataf. Kawo, Panteka, Badarawa, U/Yero, Central Market, Rigasa, U/Kanawa and a couple of other places from phone interaction are in chaos. There are also reports that there are civilians donning uniforms of security personnel and laying wait for their ‘prey’.

What started as a war against the government has become civil unrest between the people. As bad as it is, there are still stories of Muslims helping out Christians and vice versa. A number of people in harm’s way have had their escape this way. For now, the roads are empty in Kaduna. The streets have been purged of people. A number of locations are littered with burnt cars. Families have been thrown apart with instructions that ‘stay where you are… God willing we will meet when calm returns’.

Religion is not on my list of top ten favourite subject to discuss. We are first humans before choosing what religion to differ to. In fairness, this is far beyond clerics as I understand some of them gave express instruction to their followers not to retaliate. It’s not surprising such instructions were disregarded. Emotions are high. People are paranoid. Lives are lost by the minute. If I know this country well, we will not have the exact figures of casualities. Until we get past using religion as a deciding factor in governance and yardstick for relating with people, we may as well forget peace.

If you are in Kaduna and you are reading this. The following tips can keep you safe –
1. Stay at home and if you are not, stay where you are.
2. Make sure your phones are fully charged and reach out to your relatives for assurance.
3. Don’t believe everything you read on the social media or hear from people.
4. The best time to move is within the first 2 hours the curfew is lifted. Get what you need them and return back home.
5. Information about the curfew is only authentic when it’s from Reuben Buhari, the S.A on Information to the Governor. Supreme FM, 96.1 is the best station to listen to at this time.
6. If you reside in a relatively unsafe area, get people in the community to come together and form community vanguards to run day and night watch on shifts.
7. Be very sure normalcy has returned before leaving the house.
8. Pray to whatever God you believe in for safety.
9. In case of emergencies, you can contact any of these Operation Yaki’s numbers – 08160005000 08160003030 08160004040 08160002222 08160003333
10. Cal your friends of the other faith for reassurance and to ask after them. It helps after the crisis.

The government owes it to the people to provide security to everyone and not to some select houses of government personnel and officials. As I heard a corps member recount his experience to me on the phone this morning, all I thought of was how ours has become an Hobbesian society. I hope it doesn’t stay that way for too long.


http://www.kadunaboy.com/2012/06/kadunas-season-of-anomie-tips-for-survival/

* Muslims protest against retaliatory killings by Christians

* Religious rioting killed at least 52 in Kaduna on Sunday

* Church bombings, likely by Islamist sect, sparked violence

* Military clash with gunmen in northeast Damaturu (Adds details, background, Damaturu violence)

By Isaac Abrak

KADUNA, Nigeria, June 19 (Reuters) - Nigerian Muslims took to the streets in the northern city of Kaduna on Tuesday, firing AK-47s, burning tyres and destroying at least one church, two days after rioting by Christian youths killed 52 people, witnesses said.

Multiple gunshots were heard across the city where at least 52 people were killed on Sunday in retaliatory violence after suspected Islamist suicide bombings of three churches in Kaduna state that killed 19 Christians.

Religiously mixed Kaduna is near the volatile "Middle Belt", where the mostly Christian south and largely Muslim north meet and the city has sometimes been a sectarian flashpoint.

"They are out on the streets, burning tyres and shooting. They burned a church," said a witness, who only gave his first name, Suleiman, for fear of reprisals.

Northern Nigeria,hahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahhahaooooooohhhhhhhooooooooooohhhhhhhhoooooooooooooohhhhhhooooooooooooooooohaaahahhahaaaaaaaa.