Abuja – Senate President David Mark has urged the Sheik Ahmed Lemu-led investigation panel into 2011 post-election riots to fish out the perpetrators.

Mark made the appeal when the panel visited him in Abuja, yesterday.

He said: “No matter what we do, if the masterminds or sponsors are not brought to book, we will not achieve any result.

“Nobody or group of people is bigger or greater than Nigeria. There should be no sacred cows. No one is above the law.

“We must fish out the perpetrators and apply appropriate sanctions to serve as a deterrent to others.’.

Mark, however, advised the panel to be fair, just, honest and firm, because “your report will be taken seriously if it meets the standard of objectivity, fairness and balance.

“We must get it right this time; it is not to pass blames. We must say the truth and find lasting solutions to this avoidable menace.”

Earlier, Sheik Lemu said the 22-man panel already divided into the three sub-groups had visited sites of the violent incidents and would meet stakeholders to get their input into the reports.

…ECWA, NGO distribute relief materials to victims

KADUNA – The Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, in partnership with TearFund, a UK-based non-governmental organisation working in Nigeria, has distributed relief materials estimated at several millions of naira to Christians and Muslims affected by the post- presidential election violence in Kaduna, last April.

Addressing some of the victims in Kafanchan in Jema’a Local Government Area, ECWA General Secretary, Rev. Samuel Kunhiyop, advised the people to live in peace with one another irrespective of religious, cultural and political differences, noting that God created all humans to live together.

The cleric said the distribution of relief material was to show that ECWA identified with the victims even as he acknowledged that no amount can compensate for the loss of lives and property during the crises.

Country-Representative of TearFund, Mr. Danladi Musa, urged the people to learn to forgive one another and live in peace just as God forgave every mankind.

Responding, Alhaji Ahmadu Sale for Muslims and Rev. Canon Danjuma Jacob  for Christians commended the kind gesture.