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Fresh Tension in Kano - Non-Indigenes Relocate

Daily Champion (Lagos)
NEWS
June 2, 2004
Posted to the web June 3, 2004

By Muhammad Kabir
Kano
Fresh crisis is brewing in Kano State over next Saturday's scheduled annual
procession (mauqipi) of the Qadiriyya Islamic sect as leaders of Christian and
non-indigenous groups raised alarm at possibility of renewed killings during
the exercise.
Consequently, the leaders have jointly asked their followers to relocate to the
neighbouring Kaduna, Jigawa and Bauchi states till the procession is over, if
the state government failed to heed their call to halt the rally.
However, as at Press time frantic efforts were being made by the leadership of
security agencies at a crucial meeting with the Qadiriyya top shots, to
persuade the latter to drop the rally idea.
But the Director of Press Affairs to the governor, Mallam Sule Yau Sule, said
the proposed rally would not threaten security.
In a statement signed by the state chairman of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), Rev. O. Ekeleme, the body recalled that the recent demonstration
in Kano which later boiled over and led to the killing of several Christians
involved only 10,000 Ulama followers.
The CAN leader sought to know what guarantees government that Saturday's event
will not snowball into fresh bloodletting.
According to him, the Quadiriyyas number millions, saying there is fear among
Christians that the latter will be annihilated by the former's great numbers
particularly in the light of prevailing circumstances.
Governor Ibrahim Shekarau's spokesman, Mallam Sule, expressed government's
worry over the fear by the Christians and non-indigenes, saying that was why it
contacted the security agencies to manage the matter.

   

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