News: Nigeria is sick 🛏️
According to a Daily Trust report, a fight broke at Panteka market, Kaduna state, between Igbos and Hausawa. Tracing the genesis of the clash, an eyewitness narrated that a Hausa trader, Muhammad, named his dog Ibere, after an Igbo fellow trader. Mr. Ibere warned him to rename the dog but he refused. To even the equation, the Igbo guy purchased a dog and named it Muhammad. And then, all hell broke loose.
Elsewhere, the Daily Nigerian reported from Sabo Ife, Osun state, that a disagreement,which was soon resolved, between a Yoruba lady and a Hausa man led to the massacre of more than 30 Hausa settlers by a militia group, Great Ife. Most of their business places, houses and mosques were razed down.
While I believe that the Hausa trader is at fault for refusing to rename his dog, the Great Ife miscreants have no ground whatsoever to go on rampage and murder such a number of innocent Hausawa. The state government should, as a matter of urgency, take decisive and drastic action to disband the group. Its members should be arrested and charged according to the book.
Nigeria has so much hurdles to overcome for it to move forward. Ethno-religious conflicts are some of the most serious blocks for the country's development. Unfortunately however, the crisis does not seem to end soon, perhaps forever. The recent spade of such clashes between clans should awake the government to take more serious measures, lest things go out of hands. It is despairing. Wallahul musta'aan.
May Allah restore peace in Sabo Ife, Panteka market and all other troubled places, amin. May Allah rest the souls of the deceased, grant speedy recovery for the wounded, and support all others affected, amin.
