President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, said he received the tragic news of the murder of a number of Nigerian Muslim pilgrims on their way to Kaolak, Senegal, when the buses conveying them came under gun attack in Burkina Faso.
In a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, President Buhari expressed his condolences and prayed for the safety of other Nigerians stranded there.
The statement noted that Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso, is engaging with the Burkinabe authorities and awaits the outcome of their investigation of the unfortunate incident, and if necessary, to ensure that all culprits are appropriately sanctioned.
The Nigerian Government will make every effort to secure the mortal remains of the deceased and the survivors of the attack.
This as the Jam’iyyatu Ansaariddeen Attijjaniyya (JAMAA), had during the weekend called for justice for the slain adherents of Tijjaniyya
The National Secretary of the Islamic body, Sayyidi Yahaya, disclosed that adherents of Tijjaniyya world-wide are known for regularly paying “homage to their leader, Sheikhul-Islam Alhaji Ibrahim Niasse Al-Kaulahee, particularly for conferences and Maulid celebrations”
During such movements, according to him, “ convoys of vehicles from Nigeria used to travel through international borders to Kaolack, Senegal, traversing countries such as Niger, Burkina-Faso, and Mali,”
He said during this year’s journey, a delegation of Nigerians, in a convoy of luxurious and mini-buses, were stopped by the Burkinabe Army on patrol and made to disembark from their buses.
He revealed that the Nigerians “were randomly selected without any questioning and cold-bloodedly shot to death in a most horrendous display of bestiality.
“The current number of casualties is 16 dead, while some vehicles and their occupants are yet to be accounted for.
“Deriving from the above, we hearken to urgently draw the attention of the Nigerian Government, the United Nations, and genuine human rights organisations to, as a matter of responsibility, wade into this matter and ensure that the rights of the victims of this massacre are upheld and the blood-thirsty culprits are immediately brought to book.
“All members and fellow Muslims are called upon to pray for the repose of the souls of the innocent victims.”
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