Malam Abubakar Jidda was attacked by hoodlums in his residence in Badarawa, Kaduna North Local Government Area. In this interview, Malam Jidda who is the Head, News and Current Affairs Department of Freedom Radio, a private radio station, narrates his experience.
Daily Trust: Can you recount what happened on the day of the incident?
Malam Abubakar Jidda: I woke up at about 2a.m to ease myself at the guestroom toilet of my house, and on my way back to my bedroom I sighted someone by the wall with a knife. I sensed that I was in danger, so I quickly attack the intruder and pinned him to the floor. Attacking him actually saved me, because it destabilized the intruder and gave me the opportunity to grab his hand with the knife. It was in the process I got a cut to my neck and hands and some bruises on my legs. Immediately the hoodlum got free, he took to his heels and that is how Allah helped me.
DT: Did you recognize the person?
Jidda: No, I did not. He did not wear a mask but wore a top with a hood and because it was dark I did not see his face.
DT: Why do you think you were attacked?
Jidda: I cannot say, but I believe it is not unconnected with my stance on youth moral decadence in society and parents’ neglect of their responsibilities toward their wards.
DT: We learnt that as the Chief Imam of Kwaru Mosque in Badarawa Ward of Kaduna North Local Government Area, you call on parents to bring up their children in the right path as directed by the scriptures, is this true?
Jidda: Yes, this is true. There is no need for any parent to shield or harbor children who are criminals as this amounts to sitting on a keg of gun powder. When it explodes it could affect not only the parents but the community at large. If a child chooses to belong to the criminal gang ‘Sarasuka,’ and hides weapons under the roof of the parents yet the parents turn their face the other way, such parents have no reason to complain if nemesis catches up with that child. But when such child is nabbed by the law, the same parents will rush down to security agents to secure their release. This is the genesis of all these gangsters in the country. There was a time I told my congregation that as a father, if the Police or any security agent arrested their ward(s) with weapons and evidence of criminal tendency there, is no need to have a sleepless nights over his release because he has already chosen a path, and the only thing you can do is to pray for him to change.
DT: How long have you lived in the community?
Jidda: I have lived in the Badarawa vicinity since 1976, until we moved to my present property at Kwaru 15 years ago. I have maintained a peaceful relationship with my neighbours.
DT: The rumour going round town is that you were attacked because of comments you made in your programme on the planned sack of 22, 000 teachers in Kaduna. How would you react to this?
Jidda: I don’t want to agree with rumors making the rounds that the attack might have been as a result of a programme I did on the sack of 22,000 teachers in Kaduna a day before the attack. The programme was live and many people phoned in and contributed their views and opinions on the topic.
DT: Was there an earlier threat to your life in recent times or someone trailing your activities?
Jidda: To be honest with you, I have never noticed. But I learnt that few days to the incident, some people came asking where my house was. Who knows, maybe the same people came back.
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