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Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) are in contention as to the cause of incessant killings in Southern Kaduna.
At the security summit held at Government House on finding solutions to the insecurity crisis in the state on Tuesday, Governor El-Rufai had claimed that the situation was as a result of disagreements between two youth groups of two communities over farmlands in Zangon-Kataf.
“The current crisis is a result of the tragic aftermath of events of June 5, 2020, when youths from two communities clashed over farmlands in Zangon-Kataf and the upsurge of violence in the same area that started on 11 June 2020,” he said.
“Like an unwanted virus, the violence has spread to and has necessitated extraordinary measures in four local government areas in southern Kaduna.”
He added that “so much unhelpful narrative is being spun, but the priority is to stop the bleeding and encourage communities to live in peace”.
But Rev. Samson Ayokunle, President of Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) disagreed with the governor’s position, rather blamed the killings on herdsmen in the area.
Ayokunle said despite assurances from both the federal and Kaduna State governments to nip the crisis in the bud, the spiralling of the attacks indicates that the perpetrators were yet to sheathe their swords against communities in Southern Kaduna.
“There is no doubt that the victims of these incessant assaults are indigenes of Kaduna State who are mostly Christians. Why is it the predominant Christian Southern Kaduna all the time? Don’t we have Northern Kaduna?” he said.
“While the senseless murder is not desirable in any part of the state or Nigeria, the continuous assault of the Southern Kaduna people has become highly suspicious and alarming. Only a fool or somebody who is a party to this evil would not know that there is something fishing.
“The leadership of CAN expressed shock when the Presidency described the current bloodshed in Southern Kaduna as politically motivated, coupled with banditry deployed along ethnic and religious lines.
“Where is the statistical evidence for that? Who are the politicians sponsoring this inhuman and callous act? Why have the federal authorities failed to apprehend or name them? Do they have the right to be doing this scot-free if it is true?”
The CAN President further described insecurity crisis in Southern Kaduna as an acts of criminality that should attract severe sanctions, adding that the lacklustre disposition of the government in stopping further massacre of Christians and decimation of their communities by terrorist herdsmen speaks volumes on how it values human lives.
“Should the gunmen and terrorists be more powerful than a legitimate government? Why couldn’t the Kaduna State Government with Federal authorities go into the bush where these herdsmen are and apprehend them? Why couldn’t they mop up the ammunition with which they are doing havoc?
“We have discovered that whenever security personnel get deployed to a place, the herdsmen go to other villages to attack and kill people in their sleep or when they are about to sleep or when they are waking up. Should the criminals be more professional in tactics than the government trained security personnel?
“It is regrettable that despite assurances from Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai to bring perpetrators of the Southern Kaduna crimes to justice, the state and security agencies involved in the maintenance of law and order are yet to fulfil their pledge.
“If our leaders are not able to nip evil in the bud, then, why are they there? Should they be there for jamboree? Why do we call them ‘His Excellency’ when they cannot guarantee our security?”
The Governor however assured his administration would continue to invest in effort to create and sustain a constituency for peace by persuading elected officials, traditional rulers and community leaders in the affected areas to live up to their responsibilities, respect diversity and the rule of law.
“We have nudged stakeholders in Kauru and Zangon-Kataf LGAs on this path and will continue to do so,” he said.
“We have also resolved to address lingering issues from the 1992 crisis in Zangon-Kataf by producing a White Paper on the recommendations made by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and the Reconciliation Committee.”
On effort to halt the killings, Governor El-Rufai disclosed that his government has purchased an estate to provide accommodation for a permanent mobile police squadron in the area.
“Also, deployed in area are troops from Operation Safe Haven and Nigerian Army Special Forces, complemented by two mobile police squadrons,” he added.
He further remarked that in spite of these measures, the best guarantee of peace is the willingness of communities to live in peace and harmony, and a resolve to settle differences through exclusively lawful means.
He recalled that his government “established the Kaduna State Peace Commission to engage communities and nudge them towards accord and conciliation as a better alternative to the breaking of bones and the shattering of lives”.
