Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) on Thursday called Federal and Kaduna State Governments to genuinely show more efforts in mitigating the killings by being proactive and increase intelligence framework.

The protectiveness, IDEP said will enhance efficient early response mechanisms in partnership with the local community members such as the vigilante groups.

Co-Chairman of the Forum, Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha, who made this call in Abuja while briefing reporters on the development explained that if that is done, it will create a safe space for the citizens in the affected communities and in the entire Kaduna State.

According to Onuoha, they are saddened by the waves of violent conflicts in Kaduna state, most especially in Kajuru, Zangon Kataf, Kaura, Birnin Gwari, Chikun among other local government areas affected by wanton killings and destruction of property worth billions of Naira.

“In recent times the State is witnessing another wave of violence; coupled with the extent of insecurity of the lives of the citizens, which has taken a diverse shape, as in hate speeches, banditry activities, kidnappings, crop and livestock farmers conflicts, with a dimension of violent extremism in the nature of killings meted on the people; most especially in the rural areas.

“The Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) sees the violence in the southern and other parts of the State as a factor associated with the extent of insecurity, which affected all aspects of human survival.

“We seek and plead with the Federal government, Kaduna State government and all stakeholders to ensure that they do the needful to protect the lives of people; seeing the inhuman treatment by fellow human-beings to humanity and lack of open justice, that had greatly affected lives in all its ramifications,” he said.

IDFP lamented that the killings have resulted in a shortage of food productions due to the level of insecurity on the farms/homes and an increase in the rate of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

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“This has further affected job opportunities, coupled with health-related challenges affecting the vulnerable young girls and women, whose fates are determined by the reality on the ground, thereby exposing them to rape, domestic violence, and lack of access to education. All these have compounded the situation and hence endangering their lives and that of their children.

“We are using this medium to plead on all the people affected by the violence, to ensure fairness and openness in resolving the immediate challenges within communities. Furthermore, we are calling on all the affected communities and family members to give a level of compromise, allowing peace to reign, and to shun all manner of hatred, by embracing the culture of true love and friendship.

“Security agencies should be professional in the discharge of their duty when it comes to saving lives while calling on communities to support them in their task to protect the citizens and bring normalcy. We are aware that there are communities where women and children are abandoned without any support.

“We recommend an urgent and immediate attention of the state government, by proving them with food, shelter, and medical assistance.

We are therefore calling on all relevant stakeholders and government agencies to put in place all the necessary measures to curb the menace of violent attacks in communities in the affected areas and other parts of the State, by arresting and prosecuting those found breaching the peace in the State,” he said.