Sectarian crisis is a perennial problem in Nigeria particularly in the northern parts of the country. No year passes without one sectarian crisis or the other in northern Nigeria. And this crisis usually results in the death of many people and loss of properties. It is therefore high time we put a stop to sectarian crises in this country and think of tolerance and peace. In the meantime, seventy people including four security officers have been killed in the Zango area of Bauchi metropolis following sectarian crisis. The incident happened on Monday, Decermber 28, 2009.

According to reports, the crisis occurred when an Islamic sect called the Kala-kato took to the street demanding the immediate release of its leader who was arrested with members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect in July, 2009. The reports added that the sect also insulted other Islamic sects calling thern infidels as long as they did not belong to their own sect. However, in the process of the rampage members of the sect burnt people’s houses and killed several people in the area.

When contacted the Bauchi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Barau confirmed the incident. He said, as soon as the command got security report it deployed a combined team of both regular and mobile policemen to the area to maintain law and order. He stated that the situation was under control. However, at the time of writing this article security meeting was going on between the Army and the Police Commands on what to do over the situation.

In any care, as already noted, this country needs peace from religious fanatics. Religious fanaticism cannot fetch Nigeria any good. Religious groups and sects should learn to tolerate one another so that there could be peace. We are all aware that no country can achieve progress where there is no peace. It is peace that makes’ for progress. We therefore appeal to religious extremists in the north to give peace a chance. Nigeria will gain nothing from the killing of fellow citizens and the destruction of properties in the name of sectarian religious extremism.

In July, 2009, an Islamic fundamentalist sect known as Boko Haram caused unrest and disturbance in some parts of Northern Nigeria. According to reports, the sect attacked the Dutsen Tenshi police station in Bauchi on Sunday, July 26, 2009. They alleged that the attack was in retaliation for the arrest of their leaders by the policemen. Members of the sect were armed with guns and hand grenades. Nevertheless, the police fought back and in the battle that ensued more than four hundred mernbers of the sect were killed. It was later gathered that the main objective of the sect was to overthrow the federal government of Nigeria and introduce Sharia as the main legal system in the country. The second objective was to stamp out western education in the country. The followers branded western education as sin. They indoctrinated their followers not to have anything to do with western way of life and western education. All this, they stressed, was anti Islamic.

But this only goes to show their depth of ignorance in matters about education. Education has no western or Islamic. Education is the developlnent of the raw individual and there is only one way of developing the raw individual which is through the clearing of the brain and this is achieved through the acquisition of the right type of knowledge. It is different from religion. It is also different from vulgar knowledge. Acquisition of the right type of knowledge is a universal thing. As we have stated above, there is nothing western about it.

In any event, the leader of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf was reported killed in his hideout. Reacting to the incident the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame stressed that as much as government was committed to the freedom of religion, it would not condone any sect which would lead to break down of law and order in the country. In fact, as we have said elsewhere the Minister is right. Freedom of worship and religion does not mean licence to kill and maim innocent citizens as well as destroy properties. Whatever we are doing in this country we should realise that Nigeria is a complex and plural society. We should therefore exercise a sense of proportion in whatever we do.

In his own reaction, the president of the country Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua emphasised that his administration would dislodge the Islamic fanatics adding that security surveillance would be mounted on all the Northern States to fish out the fanatics and deal with them squarely and promptly. According to him, the security agencies had been monitoring the fanatics for some time and discovered that they were dangerous.

However, whatever may be the case, Nigeria needs peace. Religions leaders should always preach peace to their followers. As already noted above, without peace there can be no progress anywhere in the world. Furthermore, without peace there can be no social cohesion. Religious sects and groups should therefore preach peace, tolerance and love so that there can be progress in our country.

Tolofari is a Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria.

Mann Tolofari