By; Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna
Facts are emerging with regards to the actual report of what happened in Kakuri where a Christian youth was said to have been attacked by thugs for not fasting with interfaith members of the community coming out to say the incidence has nothing to do with religion.
The residents described the media report as false, saying the residents were shocked to read and listened to the report on radio stations that the young man called Emmanuel Fransis (aka Iboyi) was attacked
A Community Leader Rabiu Ahmed who addressed elders of the area at a interfaith meeting between Muslims and Christians before reading a statement issued by the Kakuri Community Development Association to newsmen warned against given out false information to public.
It could be recalled that a young man Francis Emmanuel popularly known as IBOYI a resident of Kakuri was last week reportedly stabbed by thugs in the area allegedly because he was not fasting.
The statement reads as follow “We wish to inform Kaduna Citizens and beyond that there was never an incidence that occurred in Kakuri where a Christian was stabbed because he was not fasting.
“From our investigation under this community platform, we have gotten all the facts as to what lead to the incidence where Francis Emmanuel (IBOYI) was stabbed.
“This entire issue is a case of a quarrel that ensued between some young men from Makera community and IBOYI who is from Kakuri. All the parties are not responsible people in the society.
“What actually happened was; the group came and entered a road side drinking joint along Sokoto by Gora junction. The group were said to have come looking for their brother but did not find him.
“They had several exchange of words with IBOYI who has finished drinking and was sitting eating Opka. IBOYI told them to leave the place and they responded by saying they didn’t come to see him.
“He threatened to deal with them if they don’t leave. He pulled out a knife with the intention of stabbing one of the gang members but missed and one of the gang attempted to hold the knife but cut his hand in the process.
“A witness Nasiru Abubakar was busy trying to pushed away the gang to a nearby transformer but he couldn’t make it alone as the number overpowered him and no one on the street came to help him separate the parties. In the process one of the gang members tried to attack IBOYI with a scissors and Nasiru blocked him but another one had already taken the knife from IBOYI’s hand and stabbed him severally.
“A civilian JTF Stephen Godwin Sunday came to the scene which made the gang to run away. He was the one that took IBOYI to the hospital.
“The star witness Nasiru Abubakar is a very close friend of IBOYI and was the one who made great effort in separating the incidence and had confirmed the incidence has nothing to do with religion or Fasting as was reported in the media.
“It is unfortunate that some people misguided the public on the real story as to what had happened. It is also unfortunate that efforts were not adequately made to reach out to the community leaders to find out the exact story before going on air.
“We have all evidence and witness which we would make available to counter the lies going round. We entirely condemn this act and support the security agencies to fish out the criminals and make a very good investigation to find out the exact story of the incidence.
“We also wish to plead with the security agencies to make the investigations public so that the true reflection of what happened would be made public.
“We have held an Inter Faith town hall meeting about the incidence and the above outlines is a true reflection of our community over the incidence.
“We call on the good people of Kakuri and beyond to remain peaceful and report any act of breach of law and order immediately to the appropriate authority.”
