Irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation, many
residents in violence-ravaged northern cities and towns are living in
absolute fear for their lives and property. Investigations by our
correspondents revealed that Muslims as well as Christians feel besieged
and are in a heightened state of alert.
“The insecurity arising from the activities of the Boko Haram sect
has increased tension among both Muslims and Christians in the region,”
said a security source in Abuja.
In Kano, SaharaReporters noticed that some mosques have put in place
internal security measures to monitor worshippers as they pray. Some of
the recruited security hands position themselves afar and look for any
suspicious people that may pose potent threats to worshippers.
A Muslim cleric who preaches regularly in Kano’s biggest mosque said,
“We are in a tense situation now. We all saw what happened after Mogrib
prayer at a mosque in Shaka, here in Kano. The Boko Haram people came
and killed about five persons. All these attacks have led to us to be
vigilant. So you can see it is not about Muslims or Christians. It is
terrorism against all of us as people in the north, and government must
act to win back confidence. Some of our Christian brothers are accusing
us, but we are the worst victims of the Boko Haram onslaught. It is
something the world doesn’t know.”
The source added that business and other economic activities in the
once booming city of Kano have taken a sharp downturn. “The business
activities of Kano are yet to pick after the bomb attacks. You cannot
compare it to what used to be obtainable. Some of my associates are
lamenting because there are no more business linkages. The people from
other regions no longer come to Kano en masse as they used to do. The
luxury buses that used to frequent Kano now stop in Abuja, Kaduna or
Zaria for the fear of the unknown.”
In the North-East axis, the hotbed of the Boko Haram menace, the
economic crisis and social cost of violence are evident. All the popular
fish markets in Borno and Yobe that used to bustle with thousands of
people from all parts of the country have been grounded, reduced to mere
shadows of their former selves.
A source in Maiduguri described the Baga International Fish Market as
an example of the near-extinction of business activities. “You go there
and it is now a local market,” he said.
The flight of many traders is reportedly a critical factor.
“Thousands of traders and workers have fled both Yobe and Borno state.
And the same situation has happened in Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and
Plateau, which is close to Bauchi. In Borno, the reality is now catching
little children as their schools are now vulnerable as targets.”
Our correspondents who interviewed people in beleaguered towns in
Plateau, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue and some parts of
Abuja came away with accounts of residents, Christians and Muslims,
testifying to the primacy of fear in their lives. Many churches and
mosques are now under constant human surveillance. Some of the places of
worship are exploring the possibility of installing electronic
surveillance systems to enhance their monitoring capability.
A pastor of an evangelical church in Jos told a correspondent, “My
congregation has been reduced by more than half. Many people have
traveled home to their states. And those who are in town are afraid to
come out and worship because they don’t know if they will be safe.” He
added that, unless the situation was quickly arrested, the situation may
arise whereby soldiers have to keep guard to enable people to worship
on Sunday.
Another element in the situation is that people in their homes are
now extremely conscious of security issues. “We try to monitor movement
around our homes,” said a resident of Minna in Niger Delta. He said his
brother lives in Kano where soldiers patrol the streets, but that the
presence of soldiers “does not mean the people are safe.”
In some neighborhoods in several northern states, many residents of
violence-affected communities have also set up local vigilante groups
and other volunteer groups to ward off possible attacks. “We use turn by
turn system to watch what is happening so that if we see anybody
suspicious, we search him,” said a resident of Damaturu.
In many towns in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa and Katsina, groups
of locals have assumed responsibility for reporting any new or unusual
faces noticed loitering in communities.
Source : Sahara Reporters
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