On Sunday, the 1st of February, news emerged that a suspected suicide bomber who infiltrated the premises of a Winners' Chapel branch in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State was apprehended with explosive devices. Social Media users celebrated his arrest and expected to hear some staggering details about his motivation and sponsors. Many sections linked him to the regular culprits, the Boko Haram sect, although this terrorist group has been relegated to some parts of the Northeastern part of Nigeria.
As for his religion, many had already concluded that he is a Muslim and they were even quick to give him the name, Mohammed Nasiru Sani which reflected his religion. Rather than hear of his sponsors and motivations, his name and religion stole the show. While being paraded by the police in Kaduna, he explained that his name isn't Mohammed Nasiru Sani as speculated on Twitter but Samuel Nathaniel. He also claims to be a Christian who had ambitions of being a pastor and had undergone a pastoral training under the same ministry he targeted. His revelation has sent shock-waves across the social media space with Nigerians notably the former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani Kayode accusing the police of a cover-up.
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The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna, Rev. John Hayab has also disputed some revelations. He claimed that the church nabbed the suspect and handed him over to the police and that the police didn't get to him first. He also claimed the 30-year old suspect gave his identity as Mohammed Sani on arrest and interrogation although that doesn't make him a Muslim. According to him, some Christians bear Muslim names and vice versa.
This suspected suicide bomber seems different from the ones we have seen in the past. He understands English language and sounds eloquent compared to others who always seem to lose their voice and brains on arrest. Many Christians are not buying the story; they believe everything is being staged to serve an unfavorable purpose against them. The issue has taken a very religious dimension with Muslim getting relieved after constantly getting the stick due to stereotypes about terrorism.
On paper, terrorism can't be ascribed to one religion alone even though the most popular terrorist groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, ISIS, Al Qaeda and others are associated with Islam. There are also Christian terrorist groups namely the Eastern Lightning, The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), The Army Of God, Concerned Christians. The only difference is that they are not as ruthless and dominant as the Islamic ones.
As for the case of the Winners' Chapel suspect, I feel we are missing the point by being divided across religious lines. A crime is a crime and he attempted to take lives and maim others. We should be more concerned about the safety of lives and properties not religion. The police should get to the root of the matter not just for the sake of knowing his religion but to gather leads about him and foil future attacks if there is one. What if he is an aggrieved member of the church who just wants to draw blood for vengeance or he is just an actor playing out a script to divide the people? There are many questions that need answers here.
I will also recommend a check of his mental status to ascertain if anything is amiss. We need to protect our society from dangerous individuals like him who are out to inflict pains and destruction without any just cause.
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