By EMMANUEL AZIKEN, KINGSLEY OMONOBI, DANIEL IDONOR, LUKA BINNIYAT & SUSAN EDEH
ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, this morning, vowed to use all the instruments of his office to return every section of the country to normalcy vowing that violence triggered by the outcome of the presidential election would be suppressed with every available legal force.

Protesters at the Abuja Junction in Kaduna, yesterday. Insert: President Goodluck Jonathan

President Jonathan in a nationwide broadcast this morning declared that “Enough is Enough” of the violence which he warned could lead the country towards the path of some of its worse tragedies.

View more photos of protest here

Noting the attacks on some of the country’s revered institutions including traditional rulers and members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, the President declared that he had handed over the personal security of NYSC members to the state Governors who he said would guarantee the personal safety of the NYSC members. He said that the violence was aimed at stopping the remaining round of elections.

The President’s response came as the Federal Executive Council, yesterday, ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the mass murder.

The president spoke against the background of the widespread violence in the northern section of the country arising from the declaration of the results of the 2011 presidential election which he won.

The  address was moderated by an appeal to political leaders and religious leaders who the President called on not to inflame passions among their followers. He equally promised the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to examine the remote and immediate causes of the crisis even as he vowed that those who instigated the violence would surely be brought to book.

The President said he had deployed security personnel to all affected parts of the country to contain the incidence of violence.

He equally declared that the next Tuesday’s scheduled election would go ahead as he affirmed that the situation would have been well contained by that time.

In the early morning broadcast, the President declared: “I assure all Nigerians that I will do so with all powers at my disposal as President, Commander-in-Chief. I have ordered the deployment of security personnel to troubled parts of the country. I have also directed the reinforcement of security in all parts of the country.

“I have authorized our security services to use all lawful means, including justifiable force, to bring an immediate end to all acts of violence against our fellow citizens. In view of the condemnable attacks on our gallant youth corps members, I have directed all State Governors to take personal responsibility for their security and safety in the States where they serve.

“I have directed that perpetrators of these dastardly acts of violence and all those who seek to continue to breach the peace and stability of this nation must be fished out and made to face the full weight of the law. In this regard, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry will be constituted to look into the immediate and remote causes of this recent tide of unrest. I urge all Nigerians to remain law abiding.

I appeal to parents to take full charge of their wards. We must not allow anybody to use innocent youth as cannon fodder for the ambitions of a few. Let us preserve the sanctity of the lives and future of all of our children.

“On behalf of all Nigerians, I express heart_felt condolences to the victims of this violence. I lament the loss of lives; destruction of means of livelihood; the burning of homes and places of worship. I appeal to all members of the political class, leaders of thought and traditional rulers to continue to put our national interest first at this critical time.

“Particularly, I call on our religious leaders not to use the sacredness of our places of worship to promote messages that could lead to hate, disharmony and disaffection. Rather, we must all at this time join hands and support INEC in ensuring a successful conclusion of the commendable work which they started.

Restraint in face of provocation

“I appeal to all communities around the country to show restraint in the face of provocation. I urge all Nigerians to remain steadfast in prayers for peace and tranquility in our country. I assure you all that calm is being restored in troubled parts of the country and that the elections scheduled for next Tuesday will go on as planned.

“All Nigerians should, therefore, go about their businesses without fear and exercise their franchise on April 26, to vote for candidates of their choice in the next round of elections.

“To those who persist in sowing the seeds of discord, I say – you may hurt and bring grief to some innocent families momentarily, but you will never succeed in stopping our transformational journey: a journey that will lead this country, by the grace of God, to emerge stronger, more prosperous and more united.”

Casualties

While the post presidential election violence that swept through many states in the north appeared to have subsided, yesterday, it left in its trail over 200 persons dead, 410 injured and 48,000 residents displaced.

This was just as some of the victims who had been traumatised by the bloody violence had been counting their losses.

The Federal Government on its part has ordered a full-scale investigation into the incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the mass murder.

Spokesman of the Red Cross, Umar Marigar, told the BBC that the number of displaced persons had risen to 48,000 mainly in the north while in Anambra State, 8,400 people sought refuge at the Onitsha military barracks because of fear of reprisal attacks against northerners.

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, who spoke with foreign journalists at his Abuja residence said the ruling PDP had conspired with the electoral commission to cook up results showingthat President Goodluck Jonathan won last Saturday’s presidential race.

Buhari said manipulation of INEC’s computers had slashed his vote by up to 40 percent in Kano and Katsina states and that his supporters were chased away from polling stations in large parts of the south.

While asserting that his party had proof of the allegations, he said that foreign observers had not monitored the vote closely enough in some areas, and that the manipulation had been enough to deprive him of what could have been a victory in the first round.

Buhari said: “INEC and the ruling party worked hand in hand. Those who rigged the elections are responsible for the spontaneous action of the people in some parts of the country.”
President Goodluck Jonathan in an interview with CNN, however, said that the post election violence “was not a spontaneous reaction.” He said: “I don’t want to accuse anybody but we believe that people must be behind this.”

Kaduna relaxes curfew as  PDP,  CAN, JNI trade blames

In Kaduna, Governor Patrick Yakowa relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state as the situation was now relatively calm. The curfew is now between 8am and 4pm

Meanwhile, the Christians Association of Nigeria, CAN; Jama’atu Nasril  Islam, JNI, and the PDP have been trading blames on the crisis.

Chairman, northern branch of CAN, Rev. Saidu Dogo said: “In Bauchi State, I have been informed that about 72 churches have burnt, and 32 Christians killed. Among them are eight youth corps members. We are still getting more on the casualties. In Kano and in Zaria, most of our churches there were burnt, and several of our members killed. In Malumfashi, in Katsina State, not less than 18 churches burnt, and I am yet to get the number of clerics and lay Christians killed.

“In Gombe, and Borno and so on, we are still receiving the number of casualties. We insist that this is not a political violence. It was planned and aimed at Christians. We insist that the culprits most be fished and brought to book.”

But the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the Muslim umbrella body in the North, dismissed the claims of CAN, saying, “it is a fabricated lie that can never be substantiated.”

JNI Secretary General, Dr Khalid Abubakar said: “It is unfortunate that a religious leader would make such a comment at a time like this. Our leaders have also failed in securing our lives and property. They always wait until havoc is committed before taking actions. There is a failure of government here.

“As far as the JNI is concerned, the violence is unfortunate, and uncalled for. The casualty is heaviest in Southern part of Kaduna. In Zonkwa, the Imam of the town was brought out on the road and slaughtered like a ram. Many mosques and Muslims were killed there, because the place is dominated by Christians. Also, on the Abuja_Kaduna expressway, passengers where attacked and killed.

“I don’t think that any of the two religions permits the murder of any human being. Because the life of a human being in all the scriptures is too precious and sacred to be destroyed by any person.”

Commercial activities paralysed in Bauchi

In Bauchi State, commercial activities have been paralysed as most shops and banks have refused to open for business as a result of the violent protests. Most of the banks on Bank Road in Bauchi were closed to customers for lack of adequate security because all the armed Policemen attached to the banks had been recalled.
Mob attacks, set ablaze residence of ex_LG Chairman

An unrepentant mob attacked the home of the sacked chairman of Keffi Local Government area, of Nassarawa State,  Engr. Mohammed Idris, torched parts of the house and set his Jeep ablaze.
pard Sources told Vanguard that the angry protesters who broke into Engr. Idris residence along Abdullahi Maigari Street, Keffi, at about 3. 30am, attempted to set the entire house on fire with the occupants inside.

However, concerned neighbours who got wind of what was about to happen mobilized to the house and repelled the mob.

FG orders probe

Meanwhile the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday condemned the unwarranted killing of innocent Nigerians in parts of the North and ordered a full_scale investigation into the incident and vowed to punish all those involved in the mass murder.

Reading the resolution of the Council on the violence, Minister of Information and Communications, Mr Labaran Maku said: “Council strongly reiterates the presidential directives to security agencies to fully investigate the violence and bring to justice all those remotely and directly involved in the killings and destruction that took place in some parts of the federation.

“Council strongly condemns the regrettable tendency by a few to deny our nation its progress towards a united and stable polity from the regional and ethnic divisions of the past. Thus at a time the world is celebrating the glory of our Presidential Poll as one of the freest and fairest in our history, some persons chose to stain this glory with the blood of innocent citizens.

“Council reassures Nigerians of government’s determination to enhance the security of law_abiding citizens in the affected states, and calls on state governments, traditional rulers and community leaders and citizens to cooperate with security agencies to bring normalcy back to the affected areas.”