The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bridget Agbahime

  • Bridget Agbahime’s husband seeks justice for slain wife

    Pastor Mike Agbahime, a Kano-based cleric, whose 70-year-old wife, Bridget, was killed by suspected religious fanatics in Kano on June 2, has decried the alleged poor handling of the matter.

    Speaking at a forum organised in Enugu during a meeting of the Eastern Consultative Assembly, Pastor Agbahime urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the United Nations (UN), Amnesty International (AI) and other civil society groups to take over the case and ensure justice for his familyý.

    The cleric said he had not slept well since he watched his wife hacked down by suspected fanatics.

    ýHe said: “I am sharing with the world today my agony and grief and the devastation the murder of my wife has caused me.

    “Right in my presence, they used a big iron and sticks and smashed her head. I was bathed with her blood; the whole place was full of blood.

    “As I held my wife in the pool of her blood, I promised her that her death would be avenged by God; that the murderers would be brought to justice. But the world saw what the Kano State Government did. It entered a no-case submission and these people were discharged.”

    ýAgbahime added: “My wife was not murdered by strangers; she was killed by people I know very well. That’s why I am appealing to President Buhari, ýthe UN, Amnesty International and other civil society groups to take up this matter.

    “The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) should, in the interest of justice, begin the prosecution of the suspects.”

    The cleric pleaded that the suspects be re-arraigned in Abuja, instead of Kano State.

    He said: “After my wife’s burial, I went back to Kano and I was advised to return to the East because plans had been concluded to kill me as the principal witness. For that reason, I left Kano the following day.

    “So, let them be tried in Abuja, where civil rights groups and the media will follow the matter up.

    “I want justice. I can’t sleep again. I am appealing that if this country has constituted authorities, there should be justice for us. I plead with the media, civil society groups, Southeast governors and the National Assembly to give us justice.”

  • Kano murder: Five suspects remanded in prison

    Five suspects in the June 2 alleged blasphemy killing of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime in Kano were on Friday arraigned at a Kano Magistrate Court for murder.

    They included the principal suspect Ahmed Dauda.

    The rest are – Abdullahi Mustapha, Zubairu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Abdulllahi.

    They all pleaded not guilty when the four-count charge was read to them.

    Four other accused persons are still at large, according to the prosecution witness.

    All the accused persons were charged for culpable homicide, inciting public disturbance, mischief and raising false alarm.

    After taking their plea, Chief Magistrate Mohammed Jibrin, adjourned hearing to June 28, while the accused persons were remanded in prison.

  • Kano killing: Senate seeks culprits’ prosecution

    The Senate on Tuesday condemned in strong terms the last Thursday killing of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime in Kano State.

    The upper chamber urged the Federal Government to ensure that those behind the killing were properly prosecuted in line with the laws of the country.

    Mrs. Agbahime was gruesomely murdered in a Kano market after she was accused of blasphemy.

    Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) drew attention of the Senate to the woman’s murder.

    The lawmaker noted that government at all levels must ensure protection of lives and property of all Nigerians.

    Senator Anyanwu in his Point of Order, condemned the killing and prayed the Senate to rise and condemn it too.

    He commended the state governor and the commissioner of police for the arrest of some people.

    He insisted that those involved in the killing should be duly prosecuted.

     

  • Kano Killing: Trial of killers must be done openly -Northern CAN

    The Northern States branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said that the trial of the killers of Madam Bridget Agbahime who was murdered by mob at Kofar Wambai market must be done in the open.
    It would be recalled thar Madam Agbahime, 74 was lynched last week Thursday at Kano market by mob in presence of her husband over a false alarm of blasphemy.
    Speaking with newsmen, the spokesman of the Northern CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, also wondered why the police who claimed to have saved the husband of the late Madam Bridget from the mob, could not rescue the woman or arrest the perpetrators almost immediately.
    CAN also wondered why people would just wake up and kill a fellow human being just because they are angry with such an individual.
    “So, if your enemy is angry with you, the best thing to do is to raise false alarm using religion as a cover to kill you,” said CAN.
    He said, “Our religious leaders must come out and preach the true tenets of religion, because this arrogance is getting too much.”
    CAN however appealed to Kano State Government to make deliberate policies aiming at stopping this type of extremism, adding that, “this type of issues is given the Kano State a bad name and image.”
    “The Kano State government has to ensure that the trial of the man that raised the false alarm and his cohorts is not done in secret in order to serve as deterrent to others,” he said.
    According to CAN “Kano State government must do something permanently about this kind of issues which keep occurring, because this whole issue give the state a bad name before the international community.”
    The religious body therefore appealed to Christians to be law abiding with government at all levels as well as offer persistent prayers for the unity and progress of the country.