An explosion, on Tuesday morning, hits Sabon Gari, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State.

The explosion has killed many and injured several others at Sabon Gari Quarters of Kano State after it went off adjacent a school in Aba Road, leaving parents running helter-skelter to pick their children.

Although many people are trapped under the rubble of the affected house, an eye-witness said he saw a young man walking on the road and suddenly something exploded whether on him or from the building.

Neither the security officials nor the National Emergency Management Agency have made comments on the cause of the blast, but already several persons are reported dead while so many others are still trapped under the rubble of the exploded house.

The Department of Security Service (DSS) boss in the state, Muhammad Alhassan; and the Police Commissioner, Samaila Shuaibu Diko, were both at the scene.

Operatives of the military, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and others were also at the scene.

The Kano State Government has denied that it was an attack on the school, insisting that it was an animal pet store that was destroyed in the explosion.

Muhammad Garba, the state Commissioner for Information, said that the government is trying to ascertain the cause of the explosion as well as the level of damage and casualties.

Some aggrieved personnel of the Nigerian Army have accused President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to check corruption and financial mismanagement among some top military officers while soldiers continue to cry on a daily basis according to Sahara Reporters.

The soldiers in an open letter to the President accused top army officers of corruption and extortion.

Copied in the letter titled “Petition Against Nigeria Army Finance Corps” are the Vice President of Nigeria, Senate President, 36 state governors, National Security Adviser, traditional rulers, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff.

The soldiers said despite their numerous complaints, nobody is saying anything about their unpaid allowances by the military finance corps.

The letter read, “We want to start by saying that it is a shame on General Muhammadu Buhari for failing to address the financial mismanagement of Nigerian soldiers while they continue to cry on the (sic) daily basis.

“Soldiers of the Nigerian Army have complained severally (sic) how their money is being short pay (sic) by the Army Finance and nobody is saying anything about it.

“Nigerian soldiers have complained severally (sic) how they have been given 20% of the 100% allowance which was signed into law by the President Buhari since (sic) 2017 which is known as MAFA. No one is saying anything and the President is not interested to follow up or investigating (sic) the matter.

“The salary of our soldiers is being paid through POS, phone transfer in connection with banks by the army finance department. Our soldiers have been crying but no one is saying anything.

“Our Soldiers continue to buy their uniforms themselves and every other kit needed to protect the people and the nation. No uniform allowance, no boot allowance, and nobody are (sic) saying anything.

“The soldiers we don’t see as anything are the ones that are keeping this country moving. They are using their lives as a wages (sic) between Nigerians and our adversaries.

“When these boys will strike, they won’t be able to enjoy all the money they are stealing and hiding for (sic) their children. When they will strike, running to another country will be too late for us. When they will strike, they (sic) won’t be room for amendment.

“Pay our soldiers their money in full and do it now. Army finance should not have anything to do with our soldiers’ salaries and allowances.”

The General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries, Chibuzor Chinyere, has offered “automatic scholarships” to the seven siblings of slain Deborah Samuel.

Deborah, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was stoned and burnt on the school campus last Thursday for allegedly blaspheming Prophet Muhammad.

Her killing had sparked outrage across the country with many calling for the swift prosecution of two suspects arrested in connection with the crime while some Muslim youths also demanded the release of the suspects last Saturday.

The protesters rioted, vandalised and burnt market stalls, churches and structures perceived to belong to Christians.

Governor Aminu Tambuwal subsequently imposed a curfew on the state to stem the violence that broke out.

Deborah’s mother, Aileri Emmanuel, on Sunday, had said that she would never send her remaining seven children to school because of the barbaric murder of her daughter.

Emmanuel amid tears said, “I have no demands; I don’t want anything but one thing I know is that my children will never go to school again.”

The deceased’s father, Garba Emmanuel, who is a security guard with the Niger State Water and Sanitation, also lamented that he used his whole savings to send his eldest child (Deborah) to school.

Reacting in a Facebook post on Monday, Chinyere promised Deborah’s parents jobs and a better life.

The cleric wrote, “I just watched a video clip where the parents of Deborah Samuel said they will not be sending their children to school again. God forbid.

“Anyone with their contacts should inform them immediately that I Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere the General Overseas of OPM Church is relocating them to Port Harcourt.

“They would be staying in one of the OPM free estates where they will never pay rent forever.

“All their children are given automatic scholarships in OPM Free schools.

“I will get the father a job and I also open a shop for the mother.

“Please get in touch with them immediately.”

Chinyere had earlier in March offered scholarships to two Nigerian security guards who were sacked after being seen dancing during work hours in a viral video.

The security guards, known as The Happy Boys, have since travelled out of the country for studies.

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has expressed displeasure at the gruesome killing of a female student, Deborah Samuel Yakubu, of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State.

The forum stated that the attendant mass looting and violent protest at the weekend by youths demanding the release of suspects over the killing prognosticate grimmer days ahead.

The National President, MBF, Dr Pogu Bitrus lamented, “The outrageous murder of yet another citizen is one too many, considering previous records where people were killed on account of alleged blasphemy. Deborah’s murder last week over alleged blasphemy as contained in her voice note she posted on a Whatsapp platform portrays the growing intolerance of religious issues in the north.”

According to the statement, before what the forum called “last Thursday’s grisly murder”, a secondary school teacher in Gombe State, Mrs Christian Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin, on March 21, 2007, was killed by her own students over allegations that she blasphemed against Islam by desecrating the Qur’an, saying that in a fit of religious indignation, Mrs. Oluwasesin was gruesomely murdered in broad daylight.

It stated that over nine years later, on June 2, 2016, a Kano-based 74-year trader of kitchen utensils, Mrs Bridget Agbahime, was killed when she protested against a Muslim performing ablution in front of her shop.

It added, “In yet another fit of anger, the man instantly called on his fellow Muslims to administer instant mob justice on Mrs Agbahime for blasphemy. She was murdered without finding out if what she said amounted to blasphemy as alleged by her accusers who also judged and condemned her to be killed. Till date, the perpetrators are yet to be brought to justice.

Hope that justice may come her way someday has fizzled out as the suspects were released by the court unconditionally as requested by the Kano State Government for no reason. The husband of the late trader was later forced to relocate to his home state in the South for fear of being killed over his quest for justice for his murdered spouse.”

The forum noted that a month later, on July 9, 2016, an early morning preacher on the streets of Kubwa in Abuja, Mrs Eunice Elisha, was killed, stressing that attempts to bring her killers to book have not yielded any positive fruit.

It said that though not accused of any blasphemy, the silence of the state over the killing of citizens on account of their faith may have encouraged Mrs Elisha’s murderers to snuff life out of her.

The statement explained that the government’s inability or refusal to bring perpetrators to justice over previous killings of citizens is thus responsible for the bloodshed by religious mobs, saying that as a country governed by laws, there cannot be any justification for the killing without following due process.

It noted that even in Islamic nations, there are processes for determining what constitutes blasphemy, saying that when a mob simply puts to death someone they accuse of blasphemy; such an act amounts to criminality that has been encouraged by the state’s incapacity in bringing to book killers of people alleged to have committed blasphemy in the past.

To demonstrate the fact that those who are engaged in killing Nigerians on account of alleged blasphemy enjoy overwhelming support, the statement explained that youths at the weekend poured into the streets of Sokoto demanding the release of suspects detained by the police over the killing of Deborah.

It explained that churches came under attacks, with looting and destruction unleashed by these youths, adding that the Sokoto incident reveals the dour reality that our ability to remain united under a secular system is being tested.

The forum commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State for the swift move in imposing a 24-hour curfew on the city to avert further destruction and loss of lives and called on security forces to ensure that justice comes the way of Deborah whose barbaric killing has sent waves of crippling shocks throughout the world.

It noted that the manner this case is handled would signal if the government is indeed serious in tackling religion-related crises in the North threatening the corporate existence of the nation.

It suggested that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari must not equivocate on this matter that is leading to rising tension in the country and global outrage, saying that as the umbrella organisation for all ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt, the President must rise up and stop Nigeria’s journey to a religious crisis that has the potential of disintegration.

It stated that considering the activities of those who looted and wreaked violence on Sokoto in the guise of demanding the release of suspects, it is now clear that criminals were responsible for the death of Deborah.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (19 Northern States and Abuja) has called on federal and state authorities not to cover up the killing of a young Christian student, Deborah Samuel, who was gruesomely murdered in Sokoto last week, under disturbing circumstances.

Northern CAN’s Publicity Secretary, Chaplain Jechonia Gilbert, made the call in a statement, said Northern CAN believes that Nigeria is a country governed by the rule of law and order. Therefore, any act of lawlessness and criminality must not be swept under the carpet.

The statement reads, “The Christian Association of Nigeria (19 Northern States and Abuja) is deeply saddened over the recent ugly development in Sokoto State, that led to the gruesome murder of Miss Deborah Samuel, a 200 Level female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto for an alleged blasphemy.

“The umbrella organisation of all Christians in Northern Nigeria condemn this gruesome and barbaric murder of Deborah in the strongest terms possible.

“While CAN does not and will not encourage casting aspersions on any Religion or religious leader of any faith, CAN frowns at hiding under the gab of any religious extremism to perpetrate any form of criminality against her members especially in Northern Nigeria. God Almighty is not and can never be a weak God for a mere mortal to fight and defend Him.

“On the contrary, it is He who keeps, watches and defends us. CAN believe that life is sacred and must never be taken by another unless as directed by the State.

“The CAN (19 Northern States and Abuja) is calling on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sokoto State government under governor Aminu Tambuwal not to resort to the government usual rhetoric but must demonstrate political will and capacity to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice; otherwise, others may take queues from this and turn our fatherland to a country of lawlessness at every slightest provocation.

“CAN, 19 Northern States, is calling on every christian parents across the nation, especially Northern states to discourage sending their children to any school in Sokoto State, pending when the Federal and State governments are ready and willing to secure the lives of our children both in Sokoto and other States that are hostile to Christians and Christianity.

“We are urging all Christian leaders to terminate their participation in Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), until their counterparts of Islamic faith show commitment to tame their followers on equal terms.

“Northern CAN prays for the immediate family and indeed the church of late Deborah Samuel not to lose hope in God’s ability to avenge the killers of their daughter.

“We appeal and counsel those who feel and think that killing and oppressing Christians is a demonstration of their service to their God to learn from history. Those that tried it in Egypt and their experiences should be enough warning. There is a Red Sea awaiting them, even those who are secretly encouraging them, must partake in the Red Sea Experience.”

The Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has announced the review of the earlier 24-hour curfew imposed on the state following the violence that trailed the protest embarked upon by some residents of the state earlier on Saturday.

According to a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Isah Galadanci, and made available to newsmen in the state on Monday morning, the government review the curfew from 24 hours to now dusk to dawn.

This he said was to enable residents of the state to embark on their legitimate business in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Sequel to the briefing by the Security Heads in the State, the State Governor, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR Mutawallen Sokoto, has ordered the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew in force in Sokoto metropolis.

“The revised curfew will now be from dusk to dawn in Sokoto township. This is to afford people the opportunity to pursue their legitimate businesses and other means of livelihood.

“The Government, however, advises people to maintain peace in this regard, as it will not condone any breach of law and order in the State.”