Earlier in France, the President was reported in Le Figaro to have cautioned that the ongoing United States-led military attacks on Afghanistan should be short. The Kano riots are linked to last Friday's protest by Moslems against the Federal Government's support for the US action against Afghanistan for shielding Bin Laden — the prime suspect in the September 11th attacks on the US in which over 5,000 people were killed.
Obasanjo said his administration would use all available resources to fight terrorists who had no respect for religions or tribe. He said terrorism was an act of cowardice and that the Kano riot was carried out by "mindless, senseless and faceless persons," noting that "perpetrators of such crimes do not believe in God." The President promised that his government would create jobs for the teeming population — especially for youths, as unemployment tends to cause nefarious activities. Those arrested during the crisis would face the wrath of the law. He called for peaceful co-existence among the people.
The President, in the company of his host, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwuso and Colonel Luke Akpezi, was shown 144 of the 245 suspects arrested for their roles in the disturbances. Terrorists, he warned, should not be shielded by any religion, race or creed. To him, the Afghan crisis was unconnected with religion because a terrorist is alone and should remain alone given the enormity of havoc he wreaks on humanity. "Even when we Africans claim that there has been more injustice done to us than to any other people in the world, we should not resort to terrorism because such acts will remove the sympathy for our case." The hoodlums who set churches and mosques ablaze give their religions a bad name.
He advised the displaced persons to remain steadfast in their faith because God will not abandon them and warned that the people of Nigeria should be careful not to be viewed by other members of the civilized community as unable to differentiate between the good religion of Islam and terrorism. He added that a true believer in God would always embrace dialogue in a situation like this, no matter what the odds. Noting that God would always side with the oppressed, he promised that the perpetrators of the Kano mayhem would not be allowed to go free. His government would not tolerate lawlessness, breaking into shops and homes, or burning down churches, mosques and other places of worship. People should be allowed to worship their God in the manner they deem fit.
He commiserated with the victims and thanked security personnel, traditional rulers and community leaders for helping to bring the situation under control.
Obasanjo visited Korna Jabba, a settlement where many houses were torched and many people killed. He also visited Sabon Garri. Meanwhile, some panic-stricken residents of the Kwara State capital Ilorin hurriedly withdrew their children from school yesterday when there was a rumor of planned pro-Bin Laden protests in the town. Many others who had heard the rumor earlier did not allow their children to go to school. Only the prompt intervention of the state police commissioner, Alhaji Gazali Lawal (by announcements on the state-owned radio) dispelled the rumor. But unusually heavy patrolling of major streets in Ilorin by men of the state police command continued for several hours to prevent any breakdown of law and order. Ilorin, noted for its peaceful nature, experienced its first major religious riot two years ago when some people, suspected to be Moslem fanatics, razed some houses of worship in the town. The State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, prevented the escalation of the crisis by convening an emergency meeting of all religious leaders.
