That Threat Of Violence From Zamfara

The arrest of a 22-year-old citizen of Maradun local government area of Zamfara State, who was captured on video chanting demands for AK-47 rifles to shoot Nigerians in Enugu and Jos, is commendable.

In the video, a man, whom the police have since identified as Umar Ibrahim Gandi Maradun, dressed in the uniform of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) Volunteer Corps, was seen and heard chanting what is clearly a call for violence against certain Nigerians during a gyration.

The video, which has since gone viral, can incite violence. In Nigeria, words have become lethal at such a pace that leaves every right-thinking citizen alarmed. That is why the nation cannot afford to take the controversial, indeed highly condemnable, video lightly. The police’s prompt arrest of the man behind the video, which was recorded during a gyration by the JIBWIS corps, is plausible.

In a multi-religious country like Nigeria, with a troubling history of ethno-religious violence, Maradun’s chant, demanding AK-47 rifles to shoot people he called infidels in Enugu State and Jos, the capital of Plateau State, cannot and should not be taken lightly.

Nigeria’s status as a secular state has never been in doubt. Its population of over two hundred million comprises Muslims, Christians and followers of traditional religions. In recognition of this, Section 38 of the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion. There is no reason for any faith to fear violence in Nigeria.

Nigeria is, without a doubt, a country that is still grappling with ethno-religious violence, a phenomenon with a long history as the country’s different ethnic groups clamour for resources. Whether in Benue or Plateau State, the country is still mourning the senseless killing of its citizens, largely arising from ethnic and religious violence.

Perhaps at 22, Maradun is too young to know about the nation’s chequered history of religious violence. And that is perhaps because we are a nation that accords very scant regard to the teaching of history in our schools.

For Maradun, the full application of sections 95-96 of the Penal Code is required to ensure he receives a punishment commensurate with his actions. This will not only defuse any tension that may have arisen but also serve as a deterrent to those who wish to do the same.

If, at 22, he was living in a state that has continued to bear the brunt of banditry, and all Maradun could think of was getting rifles to kill Christians in faraway Jos and Enugu, rather than the terrorists who have made numerous communities uninhabitable for their residents, then he deserves to be taught a lesson. He doesn’t need anyone to remind him to channel his energy into fighting the terrorists.

What Maradun said in the video does not reflect the views and perceptions of the vast majority of Nigerian Muslims. Islam abhors violence, and the reaction to the video and his eventual arrest, especially the condemnation from even the Muslim community, further demonstrate that the majority of Nigerian Muslims do not support Maradun.

Sheikh Bala Lau, the national chairman of JIBWIS, was among the first to condemn the act. Shortly after the video began trending, he condemned the call for violence and urged security agencies to investigate, identify those responsible, and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.

Fundamentally, the Zamfara video underscores the enormity of the challenge the nation faces. A huge youth population, barely literate in either Western or religious knowledge, unemployed, wallowing in abject poverty and unable to think critically. That video is clearly a product of poor education and a lack of critical and rational thinking.

But above all, the video reaffirmed the need for religious leaders to intensify their call for peaceful coexistence among the country’s diverse religions and sects. There is a high level of intolerance even among different sects within the same religion in Nigeria. Religious leaders have a critical role to play in defusing tensions and ensuring mutual respect across all religions.

Nigeria is grappling with severe insecurity that demands concerted efforts to end it. That is why all right-thinking Nigerians must not only condemn the Zamfara call to violence but also join the call for the prompt prosecution of the person responsible.