•Dr Bukola Saraki, Senate President
Many dignitaries yesterday had a bad Sallah experience in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
They were pelted with missiles and water sachets in protest against what many described as a bleak Sallah.
At the Eid praying ground were Senate President Bukola Saraki and many others.
The protesters were angry over the non-payment of workers’ outstanding salaries despite the bailout funds from the Federal Government. The government insisted salaries had been paid.
The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari and the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammadu Bashir (who had nothing to do with salaries) were not exempted by the protesters.
The police arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident. More suspects were being hunted in the disruption of the Eid-el Adha festival, highly cherished Islamic injunction in Ilorin Emirate.
Riot policemen were drafted to strategic areas in the city to prevent a reoccurrence of the attack.
As early 7am, worshippers had trooped to the expansive Eid Praying Ground to observe the twoNafilat prayers.
Although the prayer was fixed for 9.30am, there was tension as early as 8am at the praying ground.
It was evident that most worshippers were out for a showdown because initial sermon segment of the Sallah fell on deaf ears.
As Saraki and others arrived the praying ground, there was intermittent shout of “Ole! Ole!! Ole!!!(Thief, thief, thief).“E san owo wa to ri olorun” (pay us in the name of God),
“Ebi n pa wa!” “Ebi yii tito Saraki!””A o ki run, e fun wa lounje” (We are hungry, enough of hunger Saraki, we don’t want to pray, give us food)
The first segment of the protest occurred when Saraki and other dignitaries’ arrival was announced.
Shortly after the announcement, worshippers surged forward and threw stones, missiles, and pure water sachet at the dignitaries, many of who were innocent of the anger of the affected worshippers.
The police, security agents, and members of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, battled to curtail the protesters. They formed a barricade to keep them away, but the mob was deviant.
The security agents succeeded in paving the way for the observance of the prayers amid tension at about 9.50am.
But the initial incident made many worshippers to miss the prayers because at a point the microphone got disconnected.
Some other worshippers scampered to safety when the mob was persistent in hurling stones, pebbles and missiles at the dignitaries.
Saraki, the Emir and most of the dignitaries went ahead with the Sallah.
Immediately the two Rakat prayers ended, the worshippers surged forward again.
They were raining unprintable words on the dignitaries and throwing more missiles.
The security wall around the Senate President was, however, thick and it protected him from any personal harm.
The police and security agents fired teargas to disperse the mob.
Saraki was guarded into his vehicle.
Others who were victims of the mob action were ex- Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, State Assembly Speaker Ali Ahmad, former Speaker Razak Atunwa (now a member of the House of Representatives), Rep Amuda Kannike, former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Alhaji Kawu Baraje, the Taliban of Ilorin, Prof. Oba Abdulraheem, members of the Assembly, all the Baloguns, Magajis and prominent leaders in Ilorin Emirate.
The police have started probing the incident.
Our correspondent saw one of the suspects being taken away in a security van.
Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi, said: “We have arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident.
“We are interrogating the suspects and before Monday, we will release the details of our findings.”
The protest was triggered by the delay in payment of salaries.
The Eid-el Kabir was celebrated with hunger by many citizens of the state following non-payment of salaries for three to four months by the state government, in spite of the bailout by the Federal Government.
Although there were last-minute salary alerts for civil servants by the government on Wednesday night, the tension had peaked due to the inability of many to get cash for Sallah.
While local government workers are being owed for three months, some workers have not been paid for four months.
A source in Saraki’s camp said: “The protest was actually not targeted at Saraki; it was borne out of the delay in payment of salaries by the state. The Senate President, the Emir, the Chief Imam and other leaders were victims of circumstance.
“ In fact, the Sallah was designed to give Saraki a befitting reception and welcome him back home after his arraignment at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Wednesday.
“If any Emir will be attacked, it is not in Ilorin Emirate where the Emir is loved and revered.
“Immediately the arrival of Saraki was announced, the mob assumed that the governor was on his entourage and without finding out, they started attacking the dignitaries.
“It is erroneous to say that Saraki and others were deliberately singled out for attack. The President of the Senate has nothing to do with outstanding salaries in Kwara State.
“And if you look at it, what has the Emir and other leaders got to do with non-payment of salaries? Why should the mob attack these leaders for God’s sake?
“We are suspecting sabotage; we believe some fifth columnists or forces are at work. Some propagandists went about with different insinuations that the bailout funds were diverted.”
A source in the government said Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed was really proactive to prevent the incident.
The source said: “When the governor got security reports of likely unrest over salaries, he met with the Nigeria Labour Congress and leaders of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to allay fears that he had received the bail out funds and diverted it.
“The governor opened the books of the state, almost swore to the leaders that he had not received any bailout funds.
“The leaders of the workers showed appreciable understanding.
“When it was obvious that the workers were unprepared to mark Sallah without salaries, the governor went all out to source for N400million to pay the workers.
“At least some of the workers got alerts for two months’ salaries on Wednesday night and early Thursday.
Source:THE NATION
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