The United Religions Initiative of Africa whose vision is to see united, prosperous, and peaceful Africa where there is no religious strife Joined the Government officials and clerics gathered for peace prayers in Kano on 24 January 2012 after a wave of attacks claimed by Boko Haram more than 160 dead and raised fresh fears of civil unrest.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, facing his worst crisis since winning April polls amid a surge in attacks by Islamist sect Boko Haram and mounting social discontent, toured Kano on Sunday and vowed to beef up security.
Several bombs were set off and gun battles raged in coordinated attacks that were launched after Friday prayers in Nigeria’s second largest city and lasted several hours.
Jonathan, after visiting the city on Sunday, said that some suspects had been arrested and that his government would track down the onslaught’s masterminds.
“We will strengthen the security in Kano and other parts of the country,” he said.
As the ancient holy Muslim city of about 4.5 million people still reeled from one of Boko Haram’s bloodiest attacks, some 200 Muslim clerics and political leaders gathered at a mosque in the palace of the city’s emir for special peace prayers.
“I will pray to God that we should never re-live the catastrophe that resulted in the deaths and maiming in our city,” Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said.
The emir Ado Bayero told the clerics: “I join you to continue praying for peace and stability in our city. I call upon you to use any religious fora to pray for peace in our land.”
“Without peace life would not be worth living and religion itself can’t be practised.”
President Jonathan who visited the emir and inspected bombed sites on Sunday vowed the Boko Haram backers would be tracked down and made to face the law. “Those who are encouraging them, those who are sponsoring them, shall be brought to book,” he vowed.
President Jonathan is battling the worst crisis of his nine-month tenure as the violence has raised fears of an all-out civil war in Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer.
The President of Nigeria imposed emergency rule in parts of Nigeria’s north on December 31 after a wave of violence blamed on Boko Haram, including attacks on churches on Christmas Day.
Nigeria’s supreme Muslim leader, the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, condemned the Friday attacks.
In a statement, Abubakar said the Kano “incident is perhaps the worst in terms of the loss of lives and property.”
“It is evidently clear that Nigeria is passing through a trying moment of general insecurity of overwhelming magnitude,” said the Sultan.
Friday’s strikes would be among the group’s most brazen and well-coordinated assaults by Boko Haram.
