By Iliya Kure
A journalist attacked in Kaduna, northern Nigeria, has linked the attack to his stance against social vices in his neighbourhood.
Speaking with journalists in a Kaduna hospital, where he is receiving treatment, the Head of News and Current Affairs of Freedom Radio, Kaduna, Abubakar Jidda Usman, explained how he was attacked by hoodlum in his resident at about 2 am.
Usman woke up at about 2 am to ease himself, on the way back to his room he sighted someone by the wall with a sword and sensing danger, he quickly grabbed the intruder, pinning him to the floor.
“This is what actually saved me, launching the first attack because I grabbed his hands with the sword and it was during the process I got a cut on my neck, hands and some bruises on my legs. Immediately the hoodlum got himself free he took to his heels and that is how Allah helped me.
“I don’t want to concur to the rumors making the rounds that the attack might have been as a result of a programme I did on the sacking of 22,000 teachers in Kaduna a day before the attack. The programme was live and people contributed their views and opinions on the topic,” he added.
Mr. Usman, who also serves as Chief Imam of Kwaru Mosque in Badarawa neighbourhood is known to challenge parents to regulate the conduct of their children bring them on the right path as directed by the scriptures.
He explained to journalists why he pressures parents to curb negative acts by youth, “If a child decides to belong to the criminal gang ‘Sara-Suka’, and hid weapons in his parent’s house, while the parents turn their faces the other way they have no reason to complain if nemesis catches up with such a child. However, when such child is napped by the law the same parents will rush down to security agents to secure their release, this is the genesis of all these gangsters in the country.
“There was a time I told my congregation that as a father if police or any security agent arrested your wards with weapons and evidence of criminal tendency there is no need to have a sleepless night over releasing him because he has already chosen a path, and the only thing you can do is to pray for him to change. I also encouraged that any house weapons are found everyone in that house should be arrested and questioned.
“The painful thing is that today, because parents don’t want children with criminal records to be traced to them, whenever the children are arrested, they will be the first person to make contacts for the child to be released no matter the gravity of the crime,” he said.
Spokesman of Nigerian Police in Kaduna State, ASP Mukhtar Aliyu said investigation on the matter has commenced and efforts have been intensified to bring the hoodlums to book.
He assured journalists in the state that the police will perform their prime duty of protecting them as they go about their lawful duty.
