Don’t Link Yakowa’s Death To Pantami, Muslims — Kaduna CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State has urged Nigerians to ignore any insinuation linking the embattled Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami and the Muslim community to the death of Sir Patrick Yakowa.

Patrick Yakowa was a former governor of Kaduna State who died in a helicopter crash on December 15th 2012.

CAN in a statement issued by its Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, said linking Pantami and the Muslim community to the death of Yakowa would endanger national peace and urged security agents to step in and tame the circulation of a document he said had “doubtful authenticity.”

According to Daily Trust reports, a document on social media had insinuated that a meeting of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Bauchi chaired by Pantami had strategised the killing of the first Christian governor of Kaduna State.

Yakowa had died in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State alongside then National Security Adviser (NSA) Andrew Azazi.

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However, countering the circulation of the document, the CAN chairman in Kaduna said: “If we support unverified allegations against someone today because we loathe the person, the monster could be deployed against us or someone we cherish tomorrow.

“We cannot afford to stoke fire when we should be pouring more water. Those who feel they have information to help the security agencies to investigate whatever crimes against groups or individuals should do so within the provided window, without exacerbating the tension by formulating tales in the public space,” he said.

Hayab, who served as Yakowa’s Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, clarified that when Yakowa died, there was no inquiry to determine the cause of death, aside from the immediate and likely technical fault leading to the helicopter crash.

“We, the Christian community and indeed his immediate family acknowledged the tragedy, submitting to the will of God Almighty. For that purpose, there is no point, now or later, to open up what will not bring back our leader and father but rather open up old wounds in a very controversial manner,” he said.

He described as unfortunate that grievous revelations against the minister had turned into a dangerous turn of events, “especially the issue linked with the release of some documents with doubtful authenticity linking the minister, Pantami and the Muslim community with the death of His Excellency, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.”

Also reacting, the Deputy Secretary General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Prof. Salisu Shehu, dismissed the document as “rubbish”.

Prof. Shehu, in a terse statement titled ‘Still on the concocted Letter!’, said: “It is rubbish. The language of the minutes has Christian flavour. We do not call our religious scholars clergies.

“The HM was not in JNI. How could he chair JNI meeting? How would Sheikh Sani Yahaya represent JNI?

“We don’t have Shehu Maigandu. We do not write Barkin Ladi. We don’t write Dogo Nahawa.

“We never see Christians as dominant in the SW.

“The minute does not meet standard of rules of meetings.

“The Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency seat is always won by Jasawa. JNI does not need to struggle on it. The last occupant, Haruna Maitala died recently.

“The JNI is there to tell us more.”