As the Christian community and Ndi-Igbo continue to bemoan the brutal murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime by Muslim extremists at Kofar Wambai market in Kano city on June 2, the leadership of Igbo Community Association (ICA), Kano has concluded plans to stage a-day-of-mourning for the woman who was falsely accused of blaspheming Prophet Mohammed, only to be gruesomely murdered at the prompting of his neighbor Ahmed Dauda who developed deep animosity for the Christian trader, for reasons only him could tell.
247ureports.com reports that emotions were high at Anambra Hall located in Onitsha Road Sabon Gari where Igbo stakeholders in Kano gathered to review issues that arouse as a result of the unfortunate incident that resulted in the loathsome killing of Mrs. Agbahime.
While speaking on the issue Onowu Ndigbo and the Regent, Nze Ignatius Nwosu regretted the continuous killings and intimidation of Ndigbo who left the shores of their homes in search of greener pasture in other parts of the country. Nze Nwosu wondered why an Igbo man should be loathed simply because of his tribe and called on constituted authorities to look into the travails, problems and challenges of the Igbo in the hands of other Nigerian ethnic groups, particularly, the Hausas.
Nze Nwosu who is currently holding the traditional staff of Ndi Igbo in Kano, including the Ofor Na Ogu, following the death of Onyendu Ndi Igbo in Kano, His Royal Highness, the late Igwe John Chiejina Nnaji who joined his ancestors on 22 September, 2015, however, advised Igbos in Kano not to take laws into their hands as justice is expected to be done in the gruesome murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, wife of Mike, an old pastor of Deeper Life Bible Church, who hails from Imo state, South-East Nigeria.
247ureports.com recalls that the suspected killers of Mrs. Agbahime were on Friday, 10 June arraigned before Kano Chief Magistrate Court 20 and were sent to prison as the case was adjourned to 28 June. Reacting to what transpired at the Court, the Interim President of ICA, in Kano, Hon. Iwuoha Okechukwu Fortune said, “what happened at the Court on that Friday is an indication that justice is on the way. I have appealed to my people to keep calm. We are law abiding citizens and I want to believe that all the law enforcement agencies concerned in this case will be up and doing.
I have been under pressure from Igbos across the world to ensure that the blood of our sister, Bridget, did not go in vein. We know her as not only a dedicated Christian mother, but also a community leader who believed in justice and fair play. Even as we grief, we want to ensure that those who perpetrated this heinous act must be made to face the wrath of the law,” he added.
Hon. Iwuoha during the stakeholders meeting stressed the need to dedicate a day for the mourning of Mrs. Agbahime. He said once the date is announced, all Igbo sons and daughters resident in Kano are expected to comply because, “an injury to one is an injury to all.” He said on the designated day, Ndi-Igbo in Kano are expected to be on black attire as no one is expected to go to market or engage in any self-serving business, “our late sister before her life was forcefully taken away by agents of death, was a peace-loving woman. She was a mother to all and she was loved by all. So, we shall pay her the last respect. We shall let the world know that her death touched our heart, because even in war situation, you don’t kill women just like that. Our sister was falsely accused and she was brutally murdered before the very eyes of our brother, Mike, her beloved and peace-loving husband. So, Ndi-Igbo in Kano grief and we shall continue to cry until justice is done.”
The ICA Interim President while commending the state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on the way he is handling the matter, called on Kano state Government to workout modalities that can ensure complete and adequate compensation to the family of the late Mrs. Agbahime. “It is true that she is dead and as we await justice in the case, I want to appeal to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to as a matter of urgent attention ensure full compensation to the immediate family of our killed sister though no amount of consolation can wipe away our tears. I also want to appeal to Muslim clerics in the state to emphasize on the need to educate their followers on the real tenets of Islam which is anchored on peace. As Igbos, we see ourselves as Nigerians and this explains why we conquer fear and get assimilated where ever we have gone to settle down across the globe. This is so taking cognizance of the nomadic nature of the Igbo land who moves across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria with his goods and services, and immensely contributing to the socio-economic development of every state, Local Government Council and community he finds himself,” he noted.
