Sarki Abubakar Yusuf Sambo Sarki Hausa 1 of Enugu State. PHOTO: CHIJIOKE ATTAH
The leader of Hausa community in Enugu State, Sarki Abubakar Yusuf Sambo, has commended the government of Enugu State and stakeholders of Nsukka Local Government for their prompt action in dousing the tension arising from the misunderstanding between a moslem woman and a keke rider in the town.
He said the outpouring of love and concern by the state government and people of Nsukka over the destruction of mosques by miscreants have calmed frayed nerves and stalled what could have led to blood letting and reprisal attacks on churches and Christians.
Speaking with The AUTHORITY in an interview, Sambo said the show of solidarity by Nsukka stakeholders and the Catholic church showed that people of the country could live peacefully irrespective of tribe or religion.
He blamed the ugly incident that led to destruction of properties and places of worship on fake news and miscreants who always blew issues out of proportion without verifying their facts.
Sambo condemned the act of burning down places of worship by protesters, describing it as unfortunate and sacrilegious but expressed hope that peace would prevail.
The Sarki also commended the leadership of Hausa community for exhibiting high sense of leadership by restraining their people from reprisal attacks on churches and Christians.
He assured the Hausa community community that the government and good people of Nsukka local government are with them in the unfortunate incident and called on those that had fled the area to come back and continue their normal business.
The Hausa leader assured that his people have pledged to live in peace with their host community inspite of the losses incurred from damages to their businesses.
He however thanked God that there was no loss of lives on both sides as erroneously carried by harbingers of fake news.
Sambo commended security agents for their role in quelling the disturbances before it escalated.
He advised leaders to caution their subjects as the situation in the country was volatile and people should watch their utterances and be peaceful.
The Hausa leader promised to setup a hierarchy of leaders in Nsukka to educate their people on the need for peaceful coexistence with their host communities and respect for the culture and tradition of the people they are living with.
He promised to pay the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Very Rev. Prof Godfrey Onah a return visit in appreciation for the delegation he sent to commiserate with the moslem and Hausa community for their losses.
It will be recalled that trouble broke out last Saturday when a moslem woman instead of paying for a keke ride invited her people to attack the keke rider.
When the news filtered into town, residents descended on the Hausa community leading to destruction of their property.
