Several years after the bomb blast which claimed lives of people and left so many others injured, victims of Boko-Haram bomb blast in St. Monica Catholic Church, Malali Area of Kaduna that survived the attack have lamented of being abandoned to cater for themselves since 2012.
It would be recalled that a suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives into the Catholic church where worshippers gathered and the attack led to the killing of about 8 persons and 100 others injured.
While receiving the former Senator that represented Kaduna Central in the 8th assembly, Comrade Shehu Sani who visited the scene of the attack on Saturday, the survivors called for assistance from government and good citizens of the country while narrated their ordeals and hardships they faced on daily basis to make ends meet.
Polycap Lawrence, a member of the church who lost an eye in the attack said he has been paying for his medical bills with the little support from the church which has not been enough. He said “since the bomb blast of 2012, I have not found my rythm. Life has been so difficult for me and my family. Their has been alot of empty promises from government and some individuals,” he lamented.
Lawrence continued saying he was caught in the middle of the attack, as he was on duty “that faithful day the suicide bomber rammed in the the fence of the church. I risked my life to save alot of people and I found my self unconscious in the hospital.”
Another survivor of the bomb blast identified only as Jonathan complained of lack of support from government, saying while he was admitted at st. Gerald hospital in Sabo after suffering from the attack, he barely get assistance from government.
A nursing mother identified as Mrs Galadima, who was severely injured in the attack also called for support also said her life has not remained thesame since the attack. ” I’m facing alot of hardship. The church really helped us because we have no money to spend for emergency operations,” she said.
In his reaction, Senator Shehu Sani promised to render assistance to the victims of the attack, saying it is unfortunate that such people are left to cater for themselves after going through trauma.
He said it is the duty of state and Federal government to keep the victims of violence and terror under their custody, as they are law abiding and obedient citizens that unfortunately suffered attack from enemies of the country.
According to the lawmaker, “When a tragedy happens it is on the front pages of the newspaper , years after, the victims of such violence will be left to fend for themselves.
“Victims violence, victims of banditry are supposed to be in the custody of the states and federal government. They should be seen as people who died in the service to their country.
“Those People suffered prosecution. people who lost part of their body simply for being peaceful, respectful and obedient citizens of this country,” he said.
He urged the victims of the bombblast not to “grief that you have lost your eyes or limbs, the mark you see that you are not born with singles you out even in the year after. Even if your scars have been there more than eight years, the nation is still indebted to you.
“We always say we thank God that there are no bombings in this country, but we cannot say there is an end to killings in this country.
“Churches and mosques are not bombed, it is a fact today,We are Grateful to God for that and appreciate the effort of the FG and President Buhari in that respect,but people are still killed in large number and people are kidnapped in large number;Just today in Southern Kaduna,Apostle Emmanuel Bako and his wife Cindy were abducted from prayer ground”
“A spade is a spade and not a spoon,the insurgents and the bandits claim to be Muslims and are targeting Churches and Christians but they are also attacking Mosques and Muslims;that supposed to unite Christians and Muslims against intolerance,extremism and violence”
“If churches or mosques are attacked and you are silent or neutral or try to rationalize,that is sympathy or finding justification for Teror”
“We are in a multi religious state in a multi religious country,the national flag,the national anthem and the national pledge cannot keep Muslims and Christians in peace but the entrenchment of justice,equality,equity by leaders.When leaders swore by the constitution and promised to be fair and only favour people from their ethnic group or faith,the nation under such leaders will be in permanent turbulence and ceaseless storms”
“Our political leaders past and present thought they were God,and Our people believed and Worshiped them as gods and now the nation is stuck in violence and kidnappings;and both the leaders and the led are seeking away out from the real God.They told you to vote for them that they can do it,now they are telling you only God can do it”
“You can’t even go some kilometers away from Kaduna without falling into the hand of kidnappers. People sell their farms and homes to.pay ransoms. No body is safe now.Your leaders thought they were magicians and infallible messiahs now you have seen that they are politicians and mortals”
“So I’m here today to identify with you and to assure you that wherever I go l, I am going to be an ambassador that will speak for you.
“And it is still not too late for the government to look back and look at the plight of those orphans and widows that were meant as such by violence. it is not too late for government to look back at those who lost their eyes, limbs as a result of this kind of violence.
“Violence cannot make people change their religion and those who want to use violence to acheive their hidden objectives are making a big mistake. Islam and christianity has come to stay. Sani said
