Blasphemy: Bauchi gov warns against religious intolerance
Bauchi State governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has visited the affected community in Warji Local Government Area of the state to commiserate with them over the recent fracas in which many people were injured and 13 houses burnt by irate youths over alleged blasphemy.
The governor, who spoke at the palace of the district head of Warji during his visit Saturday evening, warned against religious crisis in the state.
“Religion is very close to peoples’ hearts. It is very uncivilised to joke about each other’s religions. We know that there are Christians and Muslims in Warji. Those of us who are 60 years old never heard of a crisis in Warji before this time.”
The governor said he would not spare anyone found making attempts to cause trouble because insecurity was enough worry for the country.
He wondered why Warji known as a peaceful community for the past 100 years, despite housing people belonging to different religions, was witnessing violence at a time Bauchi was widely acclaimed to be a peaceful state.
The local government Chairman, Adamu Muhammad Danjumai, commended the quick intervention of security operatives, which he noted helped in restoring normalcy to the community.
It would be recalled that religious violence erupted in Warji Friday evening after one Rhoda Jatau allegedly used blasphemous words on Prophet Muhammad via social media message, a development that irritated Muslim youths in the community.
Six houses and seven shops were set ablaze with scores of people injured in the crisis.