Christians and Muslims, particularly non-indigenes residing in Katsina State, have been assured of adequate security before, during and after the general elections.
Governor Ibrahim Shema gave the assurance yesterday in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Press Affairs, Abdulhamid Danjuma and issued to journalists in Katsina on Thursday.
The assurance is coming on the heels of rising political tension between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Katsina was one of the states that witnessed post-election violence in 2011 when many people were reportedly killed and property worth millions of Naira destroyed in Daura, Malumfashi, Funtua, Katsina and other council areas.
The fear of a repeat occurrence in 2015 had led to the exodus of several non-indigenes in the state to their states of origin or other states considered to be safer.
To calm frayed nerves, however, Shema in the statement, called on “all Nigerians, both Muslims and Christians” living in the state to “continue to live peacefully with one another to attain a prosperous society”.
The statement said “proper and adequate measures have been taken by the government to secure the lives of the families and the properties of all Nigerians living in Katsina before, during and after the 2015 general elections”.
It further urged everyone “to continue to pursue their legitimate businesses and conduct themselves within ambit of the law”, even as it assured Nigerians of both faiths of “adequate security to ensure prevalence of peace, harmony throughout length and breadth of the state”.