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Journalism or Irresponsible Rumour Mongering By Kabiru Inuwa Tsakuwa
Like every other reader, I was initially carried away by the sheer depth of the revelations contained in the citizen reports, which was posted by the Sahara reporters on its popular website a fortnight ago. However, I have since recanted and completely regained my composure after thoroughly going through the article painstakingly.
The story as majority of the people know very well, dwells on the yet to be resolve assassination of the late sheikh ja’afar Mahmud Adam of blessed memory. But like many others, I have realized the folly and stupidity in my sudden inclination toward believing the unsubstantiated stuff, with out given much thought to the nitty-gritty as well as complex intricacies surrounding the ever vibrant and unique political-cum-religious peculiarities of Kano state.
So, even though, the highly pained Muslim umma are very much, yearning for the quick unraveling of the masterminds behind the dastardly acts in order to be brought to justice, the approach adopted by some faceless cabals in posting some materials containing the alleged killers and their supposed backers on the internet leave much to be desired in my own candid opinion.
Such weighty, but yet-to-be-prove allegations have the potential to set our volatile state on fire, considering the way rumours are easily spread like wild fire. I believed no body, in his right frame of mind will love to see our beloved Kano, which is a veritable and a highly fertile ground for the germination of all manners of baseless rumours, being engulf by a raging inferno, no matter the extent of our political and/or religious differences. Because, the cataclysm that may ensue consequent upon such irresponsible rumour-mongering abracadabra; will end up consuming every one!
I’m not a learned lawyer, but I know that, every allegation however weighty shall remain a mere pigment of the imagination of those who earlier made it, until proven by an impartial, non partisan and highly qualified entity. However, by proving this to be incontrovertively true, it will adequately help to finally put the highly controversial case to rest and the Sahara reporters who have initially exposed the cankerworms, should afterward be rewarded handsomely for achieving a rare feat in the world of investigative journalism, otherwise, it shall remain a mere piece of Reckless gutter journalism taken to the extreme.
If on the other hand, the allegations are proven to be patently untrue, the Sahara reporters should not only be punish, but should also be made to unreservedly apologized to the reading public, for sensationally exposing a false story with a potential to heighten tension in a watershed and highly fertile ground for the spread of idle talks like Kano, which unnecessarily increased the palpable fear and insecurity in the ancient city. The Sahara reporters must also be made to pay dearly, for attempting to jeopardize the existing peace reigning in the state.
All said and done, The security of Kano can not for any reason whatsoever be compromise on the altar of political abracadabra. Therefore, those who were said to have partaken in the grievous acts have a duty to state their own side of the matter, as maintaining graveyard silence over the issue will continue to give mischief makers adequate room for unwarranted speculation. And there are times when silence is not golden. The people of Kano have a duty and inalienable right to know what transpires in the perpetrations of the heinous crime against humanity, but should continue to be patient with the security apparatus, until all investigations are completed, so as to prove our traducers who always want to see our state in one form of turmoil or the other wrong.
Finally, the onus lies with our securities apparatus as stated earlier. They owe it a duty to Nigerians, to expedite action in getting to the roots of the matter quickly and professionally, as justice delayed is justice denied; in order to finally help unravel the intricate conspiracy theories woven around the sordid matter which led to the gruesome murder of our highly revered sheikh in cold blood; perhaps one of the many dark chapters in the history of our beloved state can be close once and for all.
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