A man from northern Nigeria has given President Bola Tinubu and Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, 48 hours to find and arrest those responsible for killing 16 Northerners in Uromi, Edo State.
In a video posted Boldmedia on Tuesday, the man warned that if no action was taken, there would be revenge attacks on Southerners living in the North.
In the three-minute, 30-second video, he spoke about the killings, saying Northerners would not stay quiet. He warned that if any Southerners were harmed in the North, Southern leaders should be blamed.
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He also mentioned the case of Deborah Samuel, a student killed in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy. He defended her killing, saying she insulted Prophet Muhammad. He criticized Christians in the South for complaining about her death, saying Northerners had never insulted Jesus Christ.
He explained that in Islam, Jesus is considered a prophet, not God. He also said that any Muslim who insults Jesus is no longer a Muslim.
He warned that if nothing was done about the killings in Edo, Southern leaders, including Tinubu and Okpebholo, would be held responsible for any violence against Southerners in the North.
Speaking directly to Tinubu and Okpebholo, he reminded them that many Southerners live in Northern states like Borno, Kano, Jos, Kaduna, and Adamawa. He said that if violence happened in the North, it would not matter if the affected Southerners were from Edo or other parts of the South.
He said, “Good morning, my fellow Nigerians. Many people are asking for justice for Deborah. But let me remind you, Deborah was not killed for no reason. She insulted Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). Have you ever seen a Northerner insulting Jesus? No. But some foolish Christians insult our Prophet and expect us to stay quiet. In our law, if you insult our Prophet, you must be killed.
“In Islam, if you insult Jesus, you are no longer a Muslim. Jesus, or Prophet Isa (peace be upon him), is a messenger of Allah, not God. That is the difference between Muslims and Christians.
“If nothing is done about the 16 Northerners killed in Edo, then whatever happens to your people in the North is your fault.
“Mr. President Bola Tinubu, this message is for you. And Governor Monday Okpebholo, this is also for you. You know many of your people live in the North, especially in Borno, Kano, Jos, Kaduna, and Adamawa. We will not care if they are from Edo or another Southern state. If they are Southerners, they will be affected.
“Mr. Monday, you must act within 48 hours. We will not wait any longer. This is the final warning. Time is running out. Mr. President, you have only minutes, not hours. Find those responsible, or we will take action against your people. Thank you.”
Boldmedia earlier reported that 14 people were arrested for the killing of Northerners from Kano State in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. They have been taken to Abuja for further questioning.
The Northerners were traveling to Kano for Sallah celebrations when they were attacked, their vehicle searched, and then killed last Thursday.
The incident has caused outrage across Nigeria, with many people asking for justice.
Governor Okpebholo has promised that those responsible will face the law, calling the attack unacceptable.
