Killing of Kaduna wedding guests: Shariah Council furious
The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has condemned the brutal killing of 12 Muslim travellers from Kaduna State, who were returning from a wedding in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday, describing the massacre as barbaric, inhuman and uncivilised.
In a statement yesterday, the Council lamented the recurring pattern of violence in Plateau State, which it said had become a notorious hotspot for religious and ethnic bloodshed, particularly targeting Muslims.
The statement by the Kaduna State Secretary of the Council, AbdurRahman Hassan, said: “This latest bloodbath is one too many. Plateau State has continued to witness coordinated attacks on innocent Muslim travellers. From the Du Pond carnage to the cold-blooded murder of Major General Idris Alkali (retd), these atrocities are chilling reminders that Muslim lives are still treated as expendable.”
The Council demanded that the Plateau State Government fish out and prosecute the killers without delay, warning that justice delayed would only spark further bloodshed.
“We demand nothing less than the arrest and prosecution of the criminals behind this heinous act. Enough is enough,” the statement added.
The SCSN also called on the Kaduna State Government to go beyond issuing press statements by seeking legal redress, including the pursuit of diyyah (blood money) for the families of the slain victims and adequate compensation for the injured.
“We commend the Kaduna State Government for its prompt reaction. However, it must not stop at mere rhetoric. Even if it means initiating legal proceedings against the Plateau State Government, the families of the deceased deserve justice and reparations.
“The Saturday attack is part of a troubling pattern of selective killings, and the failure of authorities to stem the tide of impunity has only deepened sectarian mistrust and tension in the troubled region.
“The Plateau State Government should go beyond fire-brigade responses and confront the root causes of the conflicts, which have lingered for decades and claimed thousands of lives.
“The government must face this menace squarely. The peace of Plateau cannot be built on the graves of the innocent. True reconciliation begins with justice,” the statement said.
While calling on Kaduna residents to remain calm and law-abiding, the Council warned that continued provocations without consequences could push communities to the edge.
“We urge our people not to take the law into their hands. But, we warn that patience has a limit. Let no one mistake our civility for weakness,” the statement added.
The Council prayed for the repose of the souls of the dead and speedy recovery for the injured, even as it called for urgent national attention on what it described as “the slow genocide of Muslims in Plateau State.”
The attack has sparked outrage across the North, with religious and civic groups demanding immediate intervention from security agencies.
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