The Jama’atu Nasri Islam (JNI) has called on the government at all levels to be decisive in sending a message of deterrence to criminal elements in the country and fish the Rukuba Road assassins.

The Secretary-General of JNI, Khalid Aliyu, made the appeal in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna. Mr Aliyu stated that the JNI received with “utmost grief the unfortunate Rukuba Road in Jos, carnage” over the weekend, which resulted in the massacre of 23 “innocent, defenceless Muslims” returning from Bauchi on their way to Ikare, Ondo, en route Jos.

“We, however, call on the Ikare Muslim community of Ondo state to be calm. This act represents the height of bestiality and barbarism. We are calling on the federal and Plateau state governments to, as a matter of urgency, ensure the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of this heinous act,” said the JNI. “The state and federal governments cannot fold their arms and allow innocent Nigerians to be killed in this manner.”

The Islamic body said it “is perplexed and bewildered over the seeming unfortunate mayhem that resurfaced in Jos and its environs.”

It described the killing as a “well-calculated design” to undermine and sabotage “the gain made so far” and called on the government to “as a matter of reconciliation identify the culprits and bring them to justice.”

JNI urged the judiciary to live above board by shunning “primordialism,” telling the government and security agencies not to be deterred in searching for the Rukuba Road assassins.

“The Plateau state government should also be more proactive in saving the lives and property of innocent Nigerians,” he added.

The JNI called on Muslims, particularly those residing in Plateau, to be steadfast with supplications.

“As all hands must be on deck to make Plateau state a peaceful and tourist attraction, it used to be for the benefit of the state and all peace-loving Nigerians,” said the statement.

The Muslim group also alerted Christian, especially in the North, to be wary of “diabolical” attempts by frustrated politicians to ignite an all-out ethnoreligious conflict in northern Nigeria.

(NAN)