In a swift reaction to the brutal murder of a 74-year-old woman in Kano over alleged blasphemy, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has announced the arrest of the prime suspect in the killing of a trader at Kofar Wambai market in Kano city.
The governor, who spoke at the end of a stakeholders meeting in Kano, gave the name of the suspect as Alhaji Dauda and promised that justice would be done in the case.
Mr. Ganduje thanked security agencies for dousing tension in the state and for going after the perpetrators of the heinous act, the spokesperson to the Governor, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, said in a statement made available to journalists.
Suspected hoodlums had killed Bridget Agbahime in Kano after reportedly accusing her of blasphemy.
Rising from a meeting chaired by the governor and attended by prominent dignitaries, participants described the incident as illegal, unfortunate and regrettable.
Those at the meeting include the state Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ransome Bello; husband to the deceased, Mike Agbahime; islamic scholars and security agencies.
In a six-point resolution read by the governor after the meeting, participants condoled the husband of the deceased, Mr. Agbahime, describing the killing of his wife as illegal and unacceptable.
Governor Ganduje later promised that justice would be done in the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
According to him, the meeting appreciated the role played by security agencies in the matter, especially for working assiduously to douse tension in the city and arresting the prime suspect, Alhaji Dauda.
The meeting, he added, also resolved that all the stakeholders should publicly condemn the killing of the victim and that all Islamic and Christian leaders should engage in public enlightenment of their followers to guard against a recurrence of such senselessness.
Governor Ganduje, who pledged to support the bereaved family at the trying period, expressed deep condolences to the family on behalf of the government and people of the state.
In his remarks, the state CAN Chairman, Mr. Bello, said his association was fully satisfied with the resolutions reached at the meeting.
“There is nothing better any person would expect more than what you (the governor) have done tonight,” the CAN chairman said.
While urging the people of the state to remain calm, Mr. Bello said with the steps taken by the state government, peace had returned to the state and that the stakeholders meeting was the beginning of the end of committing dastardly acts such as killings in Kano.
The Eze Ndigbo Kano, Boniface Ibekwe, called on all civil and community leaders to cooperate in ensuring lasting peace.
Mr. Ibekwe urged other governors in Nigeria to emulate Governor Ganduje’s initiatives in ensuring brotherly co-existence in their states.
