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….Solicited life support for terror victims by GovtBy Achadu Gabriel
Maimed and permanently injured victims of terror, violent conflicts, bombs blast, armed bandits should be in the custody of the States and the nation’s care and it’s treasury for the rest of their lives.
The Senator representing Kaduna central Senatorial zone in the 8th Senate, Senator Shehu Sani made this striking observation during a meeting with victims of Kaduna church bomb blasts, on Saturday, the boxing day of Christmas. Shehu Sani, during the meeting he personally organized with victims of 2014 bombs blast including blind victims of St. Monica Catholic Church Malali, said such victims of terrorism should be considered as those who died in serving their country. He recalled that 80 percent of primary Schools in Kaduna in the 60s were established by churches in which Catholic Church was a major player, adding that as a beneficiary, those schools were not only built for Christians but also for Muslims. He said it has been in his mind to visit the church since the bombs blast incident, and expressed happiness that Catholic church had played important role in the lives of those of them who were born and brought up in Kaduna state even in area of health cares.
Senator Sani stated that “I remember when I was in office as Senator, I have to install solar power system in St Gerard Catholic hospital in Kaduna because of the gestures”. Sani also said even though he couldn’t made it because of the turbulent time with him during his time in office as Senator, he however decided to make the visit today as a beneficiary of church on “this visitation day of Christmas, as a pay back time.
For the victims, Sani said the eyes and other parts of the body lost to the terrorists bombs blast, singled them out, even in years after, that they’ve paid their prize as an obedience and responsible citizen who was serving their faith, the same way Jesus Christ was persecuted and even killed, which is the worse”.
Sani who described it as unfortunate, lamented that those targeting Churches and it’s members are also doing it to other faith,.adding that no violent attacks on people could force them to covert from their religion except those who’ve no faith. He also stated that attacked on Churches is an attack on ones faith, rights to live and peaceful existence, adding that as beneficiary he has seen himself as members of the Catholic church family. Narrating their ugly experienced, a victim barring Patience Galadima said a tremendous sound went off on the faithful day around 8:30 am while they we’re already in the church and one after another about five minutes later. She said everywhere was covered with smokes so difficult to see anything because of the darkness. “I was trying to go out of the premises crying that I don’t want to died there.
All my brothers, sisters and nephew with me where nowhere to be found. Suddenly i found my body was covered with water which turned out to be blood. On getting to hospital, i was discovered to have lost one eye and I was later transferred to National eye centre alongside with four other colleagues who lost their eyes too, treated and discharged with one eyes permanently gone”, she said.
The second victims, bearing Sunday, also narrated his ordeal in the same scenario, but noted that they were paying the Medical bill themselves. He however said that after given the information to a television reporter who interviewed him while on bed, it provoked reaction from government officials who immediately rushed, identified him, and angrily refunded the money back to him and others right in the hospital. Responding, St. Monica Catholic Parish Church Priest Rev. father Charles Jakus, sincerely thanked Senator Shehu Sani for the visit to their church for sake of the victims of bombs blast occurred about 8 years ago.
The Priest and his church leaders expressed joy, saying they have been following Senator Shehu Sani many years back and his humanitarian good work across religious boundary through out the state. They said the church has been spending on some of the 4 victims’ members of Church who lost one eye each to the blast and others, adding that the parish also has over 100 widows including Muslims it catered for.