Intelligence Sources Warn Buhari Of Impending Religious Crisis

Unless President Muhammadu Buhari’s government rises to the occasion, a politically-motivated religious crisis is underway that may threaten Nigeria’s unity, credible sources within Nigeria’s intelligence community have said. 

They identified the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue States as being at high risk. 

Confiding in SaharaReporters, the sources, who comprise top investigators and surveillance operatives, expressed concern over the lack of proactive action by the government to tame the danger, which is said to be at the instance of certain interests in Nigeria.

They also drew attention to the high rate of arms-proliferation in satellite areas of Abuja and the six States identified. They said certain elements that are indirect vendors of the vested interests are social media platforms as tools of incitement, and that this is already well-documented. 

In addition, they said that there are local artists who are producing locally-made guns and other dangerous weapons. 

“We are working among agencies and have been submitting prompt Situation Reports on Abuja and states concerned especially Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Nasarawa and Plateau as launch pad of those masterminding politically motivated religious crises,” one of the sources said, adding that they are covering all religious and political gatherings and reporting promptly.

“We are doing our best and submitting overwhelming evidence but the truth is, there is no sound coordination to execute SITREPs. The rate at which it is going is [scary], we are in danger if nothing is done to tame.”

The officer averred that all recent religious and ethnic killings have been tailored towards inciting crises. 

He gave the examples of:

· The killing on May 29 in Niger State of a 24-year old man and three security personnel;

· The killing of a pastor’s wife in Kano on June 2;

· The June 9 attack of a man in Kaduna over eating during the fasting period; and

· The killing of a female preacher in Abuja on July 9.

“Add all these and the tension on religion and kidnappings, study reactions and see the politics in it, we are doing our best, as we speak yet there is no robust approach,” he said.