Southern Zaria: Why CAN should beg for peace

The history of Northern Nigeria has left it with two distinct groups of people who are living in anything but love and harmony. Of the nineteen Northern states, Muslims outnumber the Christians in 16, with Christians having the majority in Plateau and Benue states. The two religious groups fare almost equally in Taraba state. Of the 19 elected governors in the North, 16 are Muslims representing 84.2 % while three are Christians representing 15.8 % in the North and 8 % nationwide. In the North Central geopolitical zones where they nicknamed the middle belt, there are more Muslims than Christians. Four of the six elected governors in the North Central geopolitical zone are Muslims with the other two being Christians. The meaning of these figures is that Northern Christians are a very small minority compared to their Northern Muslim compatriots. Their number is even much smaller when the country is considered as a whole.

Despite their small number, Northern Christians have taken a centre stage in any Government whether it is headed by a Muslim or Christian, Southerner or Northerner. This is not by accident. It is well calculated and managed to fruition by those who benefit from the Northern Christian project. Over the past several decades, this cabal has devised several methods of sustaining their relevance. One of them is religious crises. From the mid 1980s when the Kafanchan crisis took place, thousands of lives and property worth billions of Naira have been lost, no thanks to this group of people who preach the message of hatred to their followers. An average ordinary Christian in the North has been made to believe that his number one enemies are the Hausa/Fulani who enslaved his great grandparents and still marginalize his people and must therefore be totally eliminated from areas considered to belong to the Christian minority. Their definition of Hausa/Fulani itself is dubious. One would be surprised that Kanuri, Nupe, Egbirra and other tribes with predominant Muslim members are also referred to as Hausa/Fulani when it is convenient to do so. This is why whenever the so-called minorities strike in their areas of dominance no Muslim, not even when he belongs to their own tribe is spared. This way several Muslim communities have been wiped out in Kaduna, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and other places. What follows such crises is usually setting up reconciliation committees and/or probe panels with equal number of Muslims and Christians, which is precisely what the perpetrators want - recognition.

To understand the mindset of the people of southern Kaduna state, one has to hear from a person like me who was born and brought up in the former Kaduna state and who thus lived, schooled and interacted with the people popularly called ‘southern zaria’.  Yes, southern Zaria because they belonged to the Zaria emirate until chiefdoms were created for them by Makarfi administration as a way of cajoling them to stop their regular attacks on the people they consider settlers in their midst. The attacks were many. They started in Kafancan in 1987 and continued in Zangon Kataf I, Zangon Kataf II, Kachia, Kafanchan II, etc. The attacks and their aftermath have a regular pattern. The southern Zarians who live in the bush would attack a Muslim community, in most cases displacing the whole community destroying property, mosques and killing hundreds; there will follow minor reactions from the major cities of Kaduna and Zaria characterized by burning churches and beating up Christians. Thereafter police and Army will be deployed to deal with and arrest religious ‘fanatics’. Muslims will thus end up being the victims and the culprits at the same time. Kaduna state governors from Abubakar Dangiwa Umar have always set up panels of enquiry to investigate ‘the remote and immediate causes’ of the crisis but no one was ever punished. The reason is clear. The criminals are highly placed and untouchable Christians with the support of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), anti-Islamic press and all manners of human right hypocrites.

Like the popular Almutanabbi saying goes, innaka in akramtal karima malaktahu, wa in anta akramtal la’ima tamarrada’, that is “if you honour an honourable person you win him, but if you honour the dishonourable they become arrogant”. Makarfi overtures did not win the hearts of southern Zarians. Rather they saw it as a result of their violence and were thus encouraged to do more. For example, it was after they were given chiefdoms and key appointments in Government that they killed over a thousand Muslims in the name of post-election violence. The number of Muslims killed on one day in Zonkwa after the 2011 elections is more than the total number of people killed in Maidugri township by Boko Haram in that year. Yet, no one was arrested even though the killers could be identified in the pictures widely circulated on social media.

One of the biggest mistakes Northern Christians made is coining the term Hausa/Fulani to refer to the same person. All along their victims have been the Hausas, but because they believe that they are the same with Fulani they expect the same reaction from the latter as they have been getting from the former. The Hausa man is soft, accommodating and forgiving. The Hausas so easily forgive and forget that one can mistake them for fools. The Fulani are no fools. You can never get away with the blood of a Fulani man unless there are no other Fulanis around. While the Fulani may be encroaching upon farmlands and rustling animals, their presence has been a blessing in disguise for other Muslims in this part of the country. For example, they have so accurately checked the excesses of Biroms that the erstwhile killers of ‘Hausa/Fulani’ are now negotiating for peace.

My advice for the people of southern Zaria, other Northern Christians and indeed the Christian Association of Nigeria is to toe the line, apologize for what they did in the past and ask for peace. This will save them from more embarrassment and save lives and property. No one has monopoly of violence.

Maganin Bakin Ciki

Al-Imam Ibnul Kayyim ya ambaci wasu magunguna a cikin littafinsa Zadul Ma’ad wadanda suke warkar da bakin ciki da damuwa da zullumi. Ga su a takaice:

1.  Tauhidi
2. Imani cewa Allah ba zai zalunci bawanSa ba ko ya kama shi da laifin da bai aikata ba.
3. Bawa yayi ikrari (daga ciki har waje) cewa shine ya zalunci kansa.
4. Neman tsani zuwa ga Allah da mafi soyuwar abubuwa gareShi. Sune kuwa sunayenSa da sifofinSa. Kuma sunayen da suka fi tarowa ga dukkan ma’anonin sunayenSa da sifofinSa sune, Al-Hayyu da Al-Kayyumu.
5.  Neman taimako wajen Allah Shi kadai.
6. Kwadayin abun da ke wurin Allah.
7. Dogaro da Allah da maida al’amurra gareshi da kuma ikrari cewa matukarsa tana hannun Allah wanda Yake juyata yadda Yake so, tare da tabbatar da cewa dukkan abun da Allah Ya hukunta masa shine mai gudana, kuma hukuncinSa adalci ne.
8.  Zuciyarsa ta rika kiwo a dausayoyin Alkurani. Ya yi amfani da Alkurani a matsayin fitila a duk lokacin da ya samu kansa a cikin duffai na sha’awa ko shakka.
9. Istighfari.
10.  Tuba
11. Jihadi
12. Sallah.
13. Imani da kuma tabbatarwa a baka cewa tsiminsa da dabararsa basu kubutar da shi sai da taimakon Allah. (لا حول و لا قوة إلا بالله)

The Day Shiites Attacked Ka’aba

Since the Iranian revolution in the late seventies, many people in Muslim countries have been made to believe that the only way to the establishment of an Islamic state like Iran is for the Muslims to unite, a unity that will deemphasize divisions and bring together Sunnis and Shiites with everyone not seeing anything wrong with what the other person is doing. This so-called taqarub which was hatched and propagated by Iran under the leadership of Ayatullahi Khomaini has been accepted by many gullible Sunnis around the world. In the process, many of them have embraced Shia and abandoned the true teachings of Islam.

The fundamental factor that helped the spread of Shia in Nigeria and other Muslim countries is ignorance. Most of those who embraced Shia are either western-educated with no first-hand knowledge of Islam or people who have not been to school at all. The very few exceptions are those hired to spread Shia and derive financial benefits from the deal.

But are Shiites truly Muslims and what should we expect in the event Shiites have their way and establish the ‘Islamic’ state they have been clamouring for in Nigeria and other Muslim countries? Are there examples in the past where Shiites established a state and what was it like? By the way, are the Shiites themselves united or they are like Allah describes their ilks, “you think that they are united, while their hearts are divided” (Q59:14)?

 The religion of Shia is fundamentally based on the belief in the infallible Imams from the family of the Holy prophet (pbuh) and this is the basis of their confusion. Who are those Imams and what is supposed to be their number? There is no answer to these questions either from the Qur’an or the authentic traditions of the Holy prophet. The whole thing is based on hearsay and what different groups of people decided to believe at different points in Shiite history. For example, they all agreed that the first Imam is Aliy, the Prophet’s cousin. After Ali some decided to promote the Imamship of  his child Muhammad, others Hassan and several others Hussain. As time went on there was further division in the ranks of those who accepted Hassan and then Hussain and the Zaidis came to be.

After the death of Ja’far Assadiq considered the sixth Imam by mainstream Shia, Shiites were divided on who was to be their next Imam. Many of them adopted his first son, Ismael as the next Imam and are known as Ismailiyya while others considered his younger son Musa Alkazim as the next Imam and were known as Kazimiyya or the twelvers. As time went on, Ismailiyya were further divided into several sects, the most notable being Qaramita and Ubaidiyya. The Qaramita established a Government in Bahrain  in the middle of third century hijri which lasted for over two centuries  while the Ubaidiyya established a state in North Africa which lasted for some three centuries before it was finally destroyed by Sunni forces under the command of Salahuddeen Al-ayyubi.

History books are full of atrocities committed by the Shiite governments against Islam in both Bahrain and North Africa. However, our discussion in this piece is restricted to the attack on Ka’ba and pilgrims by the forces of Qaramita in the fourth hijri century.

Ka’aba is considered by all muslims as the most sacred place on earth and it is towards its direction that we have been divinely instructed to face in our prayer. Ka’aba and indeed the city of Makka is one of the two harams in which fighting, hunting, cutting grass, etc have been prohibited. This prohibition was expressly emphasized by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himself after the conquest of Makkah, “Allah made this town sacred on the day He created the earth and the heavens; so it is sacred by the sacredness conferred on it by Allah until the Day of Resurrection and fighting in it was not lawful to anyone before me, and it was made lawful for me only during an hour on one day, for it is sacred by the sacredness conferred on it by Allah until the Day of Resurrection. Its thorns are not to be cut, its game is not to be molested, and the things dropped are to be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it, and its fresh herbage is not to be cut.” (Muslim)

The attack by Shiites was not only on Ka’ba but also on pilgrims. It took place on the 8^th of Dhul Hijjah 317 AH, when the annual Hajj was at its peak. The pilgrims who came in their thousands from all parts of the Islamic world were busy with worship and were not expecting any military attack as that had never happened even during the Jahiliyya period. Suddenly the army of qaramita under the leadership of Abu Tahir Al-jannabi invaded the haram and launched their attack from all directions. Pilgrims were killed on the streets of Makkah, in the Holy mosque and inside Ka’aba. Those who initially fled and held Ka’aba clothing were murdered and the covering torn into pieces.

The Shiites troops destroyed the well of Zamzam and removed the door of Ka’aba. They did not stop there. They removed the black stone (al hajarul aswad) and went away with it. The total number of pilgrims killed on that day was estimated to be about thirty thousand. Most of them were buried into the well of zamzam on the instruction of Abu Tahir (may Allah curse him).

While Abu Tahir was carrying out his unique most heinous atrocity ever committed against the house of Allah and its visitors, the heretic was at one point shouting, “I m god, I m the creator and destroyer”. And at another point he was saying in a direct mockery of the Qur’an, “Where are the flying flocks of birds? Where are the stones of baked clay?”

The Amir of Makkah later followed Abu Tahir and pleaded with him to return the black stone but the Shiite killed him along with his family and most of those who followed him to make the plea. The black stone remained with them for twenty two years until the year 339 AH when they agreed to return it peacefully after collecting fifty thousand dinars given to them by the then Caliph.

The decision remains yours. Are you going to choose Islam or Shiism?

How Cattle Rustlers Killed My Uncle

For the residents of Matso-matso in Jibia Local Government area of Katsina state, the morning of Sunday the 7^th of August 2016 was anything but bright. As early as three o clock they began to hear the sound of gunshots. Although these sounds are not new to the villagers, they strike fear whenever they are heard; either one or more people will die or some animals will be rustled, but usually the latter. The former is normally the case when a farmer resisted or when, like in the present case, the bandits are on a special mission.

The mission of the bandits on Sunday night was obviously one; to kill the Imam of the village and his friend. The Imam, who incidentally doubles as my maternal uncle, has been outspoken against criminal activities in the area always organizing prayers and encouraging his people to stand firm on the way of crime. Their first point of call was his house. They shot him eleven times and one of the bullets brushed over the face of his 10-year old son who was with him in the same room. The boy sustained an injury that was treated, but he survived. Next, they moved to the house of his friend in which they found no human presence. The man and his family had vividly escaped into the surrounding bush after hearing the sound of AK-47. More than most of us who live in the comfort of our safe havens in the city, these villagers can now distinguish between the sounds of different guns with confidence. The criminals did not waste any time before they burnt down the house and immediately left the hamlet. However, they did not leave for good. They invaded surrounding hamlets and embarked on a raping spree. At least I was shown a young woman that was seriously beaten by the bandits when she resisted the act. Of course, for cultural reasons women in this area and their families will not disclose details of rape when they are victims.

Since there is no security presence in the area despite Government propaganda, the villagers used the antiquated steps-tracing method of determining the destination of a thief. They successfully traced the steps of one of the bandits to a house in one of the hamlets and caught the head of the house. It was after they arrested him and some youth were insisting that he be lynched that the police arrived from the local government headquarters some 12 kilometres away. The only thing they did in the village together with the soldiers that came with them was to rescue the suspect. They left with him after about 30 minutes. Contrary to expectation, the combined security team of Police, Army and DSS did not conduct any thorough forensic investigation. For example, they did not visit the scene of the murder nor interviewed the victim’s wife who was with him when the murder took place. It was even some of the villagers that brought them sample of the ammunition recovered from the scene, but they never asked for it. Furthermore, the security men did not visit the hamlets in which women were allegedly raped.

The local Government team comprising of the Acting Chairman, Local party chairman and other local politicians later came and advised the defenceless villagers to be vigilant and engage in local policing. However, no attempt was made by the authorities to give medical treatment to the alleged victims of rape.

Liman Danlami is not the first victim of criminal attack in the village. Within the past one year Matso-matso has been attacked at least five times during which over 100 cows were taken and three people killed. In all cases the security people only arrived when concerned individuals within Jibia town called them and they generally come when the dust has already settled.

Other villages that have been under incessant harassment in the area include Zandam, Kwari, Dan hako, ‘yar lumo, Garin Kerau, ‘yar gamji and Shekewa. All of these communities fall within three wards in Jibia and Batsari Local Government Areas. In fact, hardly will two weeks pass without a case of banditry, cattle-rustling or other forms of criminality in the area. Dear reader should not assume that the villagers have no clue as to who these criminals are and where they come from. It is however the fear of what has just happened to this Imam that has made the people to seal their mouths.

While these criminalities are taking place in remote locations, there are not less than 10 checkpoints of gun-wielding soldiers, police, Immigration and Customs men on the 42 kilometre long Katsina – Jibia road. The military operation recently launched in Gusau only served as a notice for the robbers to restrategize and safely continue with their business.

In Katsina the Government is fiddling away as the people live under constant fear. For example, none of the three governors that governed over the past 17 years went beyond local government headquarters and villages on the highway to see how these innocent, defenceless farmers are doing. This is true even when there is a massive attack like the one that almost displaced the entire Shekewa community two months ago.  In Abuja it is a tale of budget padding, prosecution of looters, assurances of better future, etc. But for my people in the villages, all these do not make any sense. Their concern is the security of their lives and property.

Nine Years of Anguish for the Killers of Sheikh Ja’afar

Exactly nine years ago on Friday the 13^th of April, 2007 a renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ja’far Mahmoud Adam was assassinated. The murder took place in Muntada Jumuah mosque located in Dorayi quarters of Kano.

It was in that early morning when the Sheikh was leading the subh prayer that the assassins numbering about five drove to the mosque. They shot at his chest and stomach and killed two people who attempted to stand in their way.

The 47 year old Sheikh was immediately rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) where he died before he could receive any medical attention. According to the people who took him to the hospital, Sheikh Ja’afar kept repeating the kalimah until his last breath. Thus the Sheikh has many virtues. He died while observing subh prayer on a Friday which very few people achieved in history. Again, he died with the kalimah which all Muslims believe that anybody who has it as his last word in this life will enter paradise.

Born in Daura, Katsina state in 1960, Sheikh Ja’afar completed his memorization of the Quran in 1979. In 1984 he enrolled as a student in the higher Islamic section of Government Arabic Teachers College Gwale in Kano city and upon completion in 1988 he secured an admission at the prestigious International Islamic University Madinah where he studied Quranic Sciences until 1993.

 As a young man, Ja’afar Mahmoud Adam actively participated in Qur’anic recitation competitions and once represented Nigeria in the International Quranic recitation competition in Saudi Arabia where he took the third position after being the best in Nigeria. He was also an active participant in the activities of Izala group before his journey to Medina. However, Sheikh Ja’afar was unknown to many before his return from the Holy city in 1993. His unmatched eloquence coupled with an outstanding mastery of Qur’anic interpretation attracted many students to him from within and outside Kano as soon as he started his lessons in the famous Gadon Kaya mosque which he founded after his return. Within no time, Mallam neutralized the influence of nearly all the Islamic scholars in Kano as none attracted followership like him. With Sheikh Ja’afar in town, people began to challenge Darika scholars, a thing hitherto impossible in the ancient city.

The influence of Sheikh Ja’afar was not limited to Kano. There was hardly a Muslim community in Northern Nigeria where Sheikh Ja’afar was not invited to speak. Sheikh Ja’afar attracted large crowds wherever he went and outshone any scholar or emir whenever they had to meet at a public occasion.

Sheikh Ja’afar was not territorial. While many scholars are not interested in bringing peers close to them, Sheikh Ja’afar introduced other scholars, some of whom were thought to be more learned than him to give lessons along with him in his mosque. Not only did he do that, he always extolled their virtues in public. That sincerity further garnered even more respect for the late Sheikh. 

While the North-west gave birth to and housed Sheikh Ja’afar, North-easterners requested the Sheikh to be spending the Holy month of Ramadan in their midst, and he obliged. Thus, until his death the Sheikh always spent one out of every twelve months in Maidugri where he gave lessons in Tafseer every day.

Like any human, Sheikh Ja’afar had his shortcomings. Many people were disappointed when they came to visit Sheikh Ja’afar and did not get the kind of reception they got from other scholars. The fact, however, is that Mallam Ja’afar was a good time manager and unlike many other public figures had no time for gossip or idle talk.

But who killed Sheikh Ja’afar? The answer is simple; his enemies or better still people who considered him an enemy. And there were many of them. No one will lead an outstanding life like that of Sheikh Ja’afar without making enemies.  This piece is not meant to speculate on the possible killers of the Late Sheikh as that has been done many times with many believing that the sophistication with which the murder was carried out could only be the handiwork of Government.  In fact, on April 12, 2009 two years after the assassination, an online news medium linked a former governor of Kano state to the murder of the erudite Sheikh. The police had on a number of occasions come out to clear some influencial people in Kano from the murder of Sheikh Ja’afar. But they fell short of identifying the actual killers.

Another question is, have the killers of Sheikh Ja’afar achieved their aim? Certainly no, whatever it is. Sheikh Ja’afar became even more popular after his death and his recorded tafseer lessons are still broadcast at least weekly by over 50 broadcasting stations in Nigeria and neighbouring countries. If the killers killed him because they saw him as a potential security threat, they must have realized by now that peace cannot be achieved by murdering innocent people and nemesis will never allow any nation that condones the murder of people like Mallam Ja’afar to have peace.

Published in Blueprint Newspaper of Wednesday 13th April, 2016