The Kano State Police Command has succeeded in arresting two key suspects in connection with Thursday’s murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, an Igbo pastor’s wife, by Islamic zealots in a Kano market for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed. Those arrested are Dauda Ahmed and Subeiru Abubakar

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, disclosed this in a statement she issued today in Kano. She said that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase, has called for calm while reassuring the family of the deceased and indeed, the general public that justice shall be done in the case.

The Force PRO said: “In order to ensure a diligent and professional investigation, the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) to deploy the Homicide Section of the Department to immediately take over the investigation of the case and ensure a meticulous investigation and speedy prosecution of the arrested suspects.

“The Inspector General of Police has also directed the Commissioner of Police of Kano State to sustain the community engagement actions which he is currently initiating with all strategic security stakeholders and community leaders in the State with a view to dousing the tension being generated by the condemnable incident. In addition, detachments of mobile and conventional police as well as the intelligence assets of the Force have been deployed to protect law abiding citizens, reassure the public, prevent the incident from degenerating into a major security threat and aid the Homicide Section being deployed in the location and apprehension of other suspects who are currently at large.

“The Force leadership empasises the sanctity of human lives and condemns in the strongest possible terms the violation of the right to life of citizens under any guise. The Inspector General of police and the entire Nigeria Police Family, therefore, condole the family, friends and colleagues of the late victim and stressed that the Force shall uphold its Mandate touching on criminal justice delivery in the most firm and speedy fashion in this instance and in other cases of this nature.

“While the members of the public will be updated on progress of investigation into this case, they are advised to go about their normal activities and resist any temptation to capitalise on the incident to threaten national security as any such attempt will be firmly dealt with. The Inspector General also calls on Kano State residents and indeed, all citizens to imbibe the culture of tolerance, rule of law and peaceful co-existence and to trust and cooperate with the police as we strive to ensure justice in this case.”