Bauchi Police confirms blasphemy case, crisis that follows, warns against intolerance as Governor visits

*Irate youths set 6 houses, 7 shops ablaze, injures persons over blasphemy – Police

*Social media good but can be used against us, Gov Mohammed warns against hate, intolerance

*State Police Command has restored peace in the area – PPRO

*Speak to your youths to desist from what can tamper with security of their areas, CP tells religious leaders

By KEMI KASUMU

“Our task is to ensure that there is peace but, to make sure that there is peace, sometimes you have to step on toes and we would step on toes. Anybody that causes or intends to cause anything that will bring about disunity and lack of peace in our midst we would definitely deal with such individual.  And therefore we would leave no stone unturned in that regard,” CP Sanda said during visit of Governor Bala Mohammed to scene of crisis in Warji on Saturday.

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed a fresh case of alleged Christian’s blasphemy against the Islamic values of Muslims particularly the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), which happened in the state barely 10 days after a Sokoto school girl Deborah Yakubu Samuel, doing the same thing, had led to the mob that claimed her life precisely on Thursday May 12, 2022.

The DEFENDER, relying on yet to be verified information, on Sunday, had reported that another case of blasphemy was recorded in the North East state of Bauchi leading to huge crisis in Warji Local Government, where a mob set houses and shops ablaze to press their demand for the Christian lady, Rhoda Jatau, who they said committed the crime and had been whisked to safety.

Under no circumstance should any Christian insult God or Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) because in no record of history has it ever been found that Muslim insulted Jesus Christ, although he is also a Prophet of Islam.  This has been claims of Muslims, who have protested against the new spate of religious antagonism coming from Christian community lately in parts of the country.

But the authorities of state and Muslim Ummah of Nigeria agree on the fact that, no matter how provoked or criminal such action could be, it is not right for anyone to take the law into his or her hand except that this justified annoyance would no longer be meaningful. Every case including of blasphemy, they say, must be reported to security agencies and the security agents must not help the crisis by not acting.

Confirming the latest development to The DEFENDER following its Saturday night enquiry, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bauchi State Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, simply made a bulletin he issued available to the globally read multilingual online newspaper.

In the bulletin signed on behalf of the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Mamman Sanda, dated 21/05/2022 addressed to the editors and titled, “CP orders an investigation of the crisis that erupted in Warji”, SP Wakil confirmed the case of six houses, seven shops set ablaze by irate youths while  some persons were injured, “as a result of a Blasphemous message posted on a social media by one Rhoda Jatau (female) 40yrs old a staff of the Medical Department Warji Local Government.”

He said, “The Police have since deployed all Tactical Teams, Mobile Police Force and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) whose joint efforts brought the situation under control.
The area is calm for now, while visibility Patrols are on going to keep the peace.

“The Commissioner of Police appeal to the general public to be calm and go about their lawful business without any fear of intimidation as normalcy has been restored in the affected area.

“While assuring the general public’s that the Police is on top of the situation and will continue to update the Public as to the level of investigation from time to time.
The Command would like to use this medium to reiterate the need for parents and guardians to maintain strict vigilance over the activities of their wards, particularly youths.

“The Commissioner of Police also urged Religious Leaders, Community Leaders and Elders generally to always speak to youths to desist from anything that could temper with the security of their areas,” the statement said.

Evil of technology by Gov Mohammed

In the meantime, Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, who visited the scene of crisis accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police Umar Mamman Sanda, has described technology as instrument that has its good and the bad and thus warning caution so that it does not work against the user.

The governor condemned the crisis, which broke out at Warji Local Government Area of the state created by a message shared on the social media, and urged the people to exercise restraints as he ordered investigation into the problem.

“Technology is good but sometimes it can be used against us. Even the girl who started this, she borrowed it from Ghana.  The security has briefed me. So, you can see, but certainly, two wrongs cannot make a right.  We should restrain ourselves.

“This is more dangerous than political…  And I will not tolerate this. I may be carrying carrot all the time.  But I am the Governor of Bauchi, I will carry stick.  I didn’t sleep yesterday (Friday May 20).  My mind was here. Thank God no life was lost.  All these property is from God.

“We will set up an investigation to find out the culprits and we would bring some succour and solace to those who lost.  But, please, do a favour to somebody who loves you, somebody who likes you, somebody who knows that you are there, somebody who respects you and that is my humble self, Bala Mohammed. Don’t re-ignite this issue again,” the Bauchi State Governor said.

Also speaking during the Governor’s visit, CP Sanda, noted that his task is to ensure peace but that in the course of making peace, there may be the need to step on toes and that he was ready to step on toes.

“Our task is to ensure that there is peace but, to make sure that there is peace, sometimes you have to step on toes and we would step on toes. Anybody that causes or intends to cause anything that will bring about disunity and lack of peace in our midst we would definitely deal with such individual.  And therefore we would leave no stone unturned in that regard.

“So, please, be forewarned.  What has happened has happened but we have put measures in please to fish out who those people responsible for these things,” CP Sanda’s comment in addition what his PPRO Wakil had earlier made available to The DEFENDER in a statement signed on his behalf.