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Tag: Southern Kaduna

  • Sultan to lead prayer for Buhari, Southern Kaduna on Sunday

    Sultan to lead prayer for Buhari, Southern Kaduna on Sunday

    The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasirl Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, will, on Sunday, lead a special prayer session for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari and an end to the Southern Kaduna crisis.

    Secretary-General of JNI Khalid Aliyu Abubakar and the Chairman, Kaduna State branch of Council of Imams and Ulama, Sheikh Baban Tune, addressed a news conference yesterday.

    They said: “It is a religious duty for us to work together to seek Allah’s intervention to relive us of these ailing moments.

    “Preparation is on and come Sunday, the prayer will hold in Kaduna. We pray it brings the state out of this quagmire bedeviling the country and may He grant our president good health to come back and continue steering the country’s ship.

    “May Allah relieve the state of this cancer of violent conflicts and bring relive to the Northeast and other parts of the country where we have such skirmishes.”

  • Challenges of Southern Kaduna

    Fulani herdsmen, despite increased security measures put in place by government, not too long ago once again carried out a deadly attack on Atakad-District Local Government and Baki –Kogi Goska District of Jama’a Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna killing 16 innocent people. Government reaction was predictable. The Acting President summoned the IG to Aso Rock Presidential Villa, gave him a directive to restore law and order to the affected communities.  In addition to deployment of troops, the formation of a new military unit to be stationed in Southern Kaduna was announced.

    The only difference this time around however was that, the Ag. President as a devout Christian in a speech  at  the PFN 14th  Biennial conference in Benin city, told  his fellow Christians who constitute  the majority of Fulani herdsmen victims, that  ” those  ”who come  in to your community annually  to kill  as many as they can find ; who throw bombs in the marketplace and in motor parks, kill children in their  beds,  who in Bunu Yadi, killed 59 children in boarding school, “ were driven by   ‘hate and the devil’.. “Today,” he continued, “the greatest enemy of our faith and our nation is hate, a device of the devil.”  And for him, the “answer to hate can only be found “in the Gospel of Jesus Christ: “Love your enemies  and bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you  and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you that ye may be sons of your father which is in heaven.”

    While one cannot take up issues with an ordained pastor of God, it is however doubtful from the point of view of a social scientist if God or the cursed devil have anything to do with our self-inflicted problems. Obasanjo, although without admitting his generation laid the foundation for the ‘hate’ by insisting on ‘unity without justice’ and by breeding the current generation of ‘newbreed’ politicians that breed only corruption, while speaking as chairman of the 38 Kaduna Trade Fair, however, put the blame squarely on “”our leaders who lack focus, commitment, continuity and sometimes proper knowledge about economic and development issues.” He wants them to stop   blaming ”God for the nation’s woes.” In fact, he was of the opinion that we should be thanking and praising God for giving us everything we need to be a great nation.

    The truth of the matter is that our founding fathers, Muslims Christians and traditional religion worshippers correctly identified absence of justice and fairness as potential source of ‘hate’ some 60 years ago and went on to bequeath on to us a constitution that guaranteed justice and fairness. The military in the name of unity destroyed this superstructure, imposed a new one that promotes injustice, celebrates idleness of federating states and breeds parasitic multi-billionaires who feast on the blood of the poor. Unfortunately, instead of going back to ‘path to Nigeria greatness’ we have been tinkering with military social engineering efforts from which the nation has derived little joy while others who are in a position to properly articulate our crisis of nationhood now want us to pray for miracle even when we have been told heaven helps only those who help themselves.

    Let us start with land ownership, the core source of dispute between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities.  The native Tiv, Idoma, Berom, Angas, Kwalla and Taroh people  of Benue and Plateau States and Southern Kaduna took ownership of their  land following the collapse of the Sokoto caliphate, founded in 1809 by Uthman  dan Fodio  and   sustained with slave labour of about  2 million slaves captured mostly from non-muslim minority groups in the north, on March 13 1903. Frederick Lugard stated very clearly that the power once exercised by the defeated   caliphate had reverted to the British, at the inauguration of AttahiruII, as the new Caliph. There was no evidence power was given back to the Fulani after independence. It was an attempt to contest the ownership of the land by the descendants of defeated Fulani feudal lords that led to the Tiv popular uprising after independence.

    Beyond Frederick Lugard’s declaration, the issue of land ownership was not in doubt even before the amalgamation of 1914. For instance, by 1908, Herbert Macaulay had successfully launched a campaign against the   Hausa Land Ordinance which gave the colonial power  an unlimited right to acquire  any land This was also done in Lagos when after losing in Nigeria, he took Chief Oluwa’s case against government to the Privy Council in London which upheld Chief Oluwa’s appeal over the acquisition of his family land and compelled the colonial government to pay full compensation  of 22,500 pounds for his acquired family land.

    One hundred years later, power  and privileges won and lost on the battle field and in the court rooms  have become  sources of tension among Nigerians because of military imposition of a fraudulent ‘Land Use Decree’ and a unitary constitution that was never debated by Nigerians. The embattled natives of Southern Kaduna along with other minorities in the north who as non-believers provided slave labour to sustain the caliphate have once again become victims of Fulani herdsmen marauders

    The restiveness in the Niger Delta is not markedly different from the crisis in the middle belt regions. The Niger Delta crisis is about resource control. Fifty years of conflict must have convinced the military who as self-proclaiming custodian of the Nigeria constitution, destroyed what it inherited and in the pursuit of Nigeria’s unity unilaterally confiscated the resources of a group for the use of all. We have continued to resist a cheaper approach to Nigeria unity such as allowing Niger Delta to control its resources and pay tax to the centre as was the case in the first republic.

    A restructured strong middle belt region (which the current governors and law makers may be opposed to out of selfish interest) with enough economic muscle to embark on economies of scale, such as adding value to their agricultural products, establishing ranches to provide jobs for youths, creating local and community police to prevent infiltration of Fulani herdsmen from Niger, Sudan and northern Cameroon  will appear from the benefit of hindsight,  a  cheaper way to generate national integration to deployment of federal police, helicopters and soldiers as we have done since independence.

    Perhaps now is the time to stop living a lie by our leaders’ empty claim that the unity of our country even amidst glaring injustice is not negotiable. Perhaps  it is time to take a cue from our founding fathers who garnered more bounteous yields from diversification of politics between 1952 and 1959, a feat yet to be matched  by our endless economic diversification efforts  since the Babangida years. With governors now forming regional groups for economic integration of their various areas, APC government that campaigned on the basis of restructuring should see the development as an opportunity to lay a new foundation for the unity and economic prosperity of the country.

  • IGP deploys Special Forces in Southern Kaduna

    IGP deploys Special Forces in Southern Kaduna

    nspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has ordered the deployment of Police Special Forces in Kaura and Jema’a Local Governments of Kaduna State following renewed attacks on them.

    He directed the Special Forces to flush out perpetrators of the violence and restore peace in the area.

    In a statement in Kaduna by Commissioner of Police, Agyole Abeh, the IGP directed aerial surveillance of the area by the Police Air Wing to detect movement of the criminals.

    The statement reads: “In view of the renewed feuds in Southern Kaduna, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris has ordered the deployment of Police Special Forces to end the clashes.

    “The Special Forces have a mandate to flush out perpetrators of the violence and restore peace in the area within the shortest possible time.

    “The IG further directed the aerial surveillance of the area to detect movement of criminals who, in most cases, are responsible for the attacks.

    “The force is, therefore, determined to deal decisively with any person or group, either engaged or found to be fuelling the ember of discord among the people.

    “We also advice the people to be watchful and report any suspicious movements or activities likely to alter the peaceful atmosphere to security agencies.”

  • Gunmen kill 21 in Southern Kaduna attacks

    Gunmen kill 21 in Southern Kaduna attacks

    No fewer than 21 persons have been reported killed in villages of Kaura and Jema’a Local Government Areas in southern Kaduna State.
    The state government yesterday confirmed the renewed attacks as the Garrison Commander of the  Army’s 1 Division and the Commissioner of Police relocated to the area.
    It was learnt that gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, despite the presence of security agents, launched attacks on four communities, killing 21 people.
    Many houses were reportedly set ablaze during the Sunday and Monday attacks on Ashim, Nissi and Zilan in Atakad District, Kaura Local Government and Bakin Kogi in Goska District of Jama’a Local Government.
    The attacks in Ashim, Nisi and Zilan, according to eye witnesses took place yesterday at about 6:00pm, claiming 15 lives; over 50 houses were burnt. Those at Bakin Kogi occurred on Sunday at about 5:00pm, claiming seven lives; many houses were set ablaze.
    The President of Atakad Community Development Association, Mr. Enock Andong, who confirmed the attack on the three villages, said the herdsmen were heavily armed and that in spite of the security presence, they launched the attacks.
    He noted that one of the attackers was killed by soldiers.
    Enock Barau, a resident of Bakin Kogi, told of how the gun bearing herdsmen invaded his village, saying they wore black dresses. They started shooting sporadically on arrival in the village, he said.
    He said the attack lasted for about four hours. His community, with the support of soldiers, tried to repel the attackers.
    Said Barau: “Yesterday (Sunday) around 5pm, we heard gunshots within our surrounding. When I heard the gun shots three times, I came out of my house. The gunshots continued rapidly. Before I could realise what was happening, they had surrounded part of the community. I saw many people coming down from the hill side, shooting and running. They were in a complete black and black from head to toe.
    “As they were shooting, we managed to evacuate women out to a safe zone while the men stayed for defence. The shooting started  around 5 pm to 9pm before they eventually stopped. As they were shooting, they were burning our houses. Over 100 houses were set ablaze. Seven people were killed and one person is still missing.
    “We have soldiers and policemen stationed in the community, but, unfortunately, the soldiers were just coming from the river where they went to have their bath. So they were caught unawares. The herdsmen took control of their camp and the soldiers had to run back to strategies to take over their camp. “We are very impressed with the  soldiers because they did their best.
    “After taking over their camp from the herdsmen, some of the soldiers moved into the community to help us. But the mobile police whose Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed directly opposite my house didn’t do much; they were just driving up and down without firing a single shot at the gunmen. The police only started responding to the attack when a senior officer arrived. By the time a reinforcement arrived, the attackers had left”.
    The state government said the top military Commander and the Police Commissioner relocated to Southern Kaduna to coordinate a determined response to the renewed attacks by the armed bandits.
    According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, the situation in the communities had been brought under control by Monday afternoon, with the relocation of Brigadier-General Ismaila Isa and CP Agyole Abeh.
    The statement said: “Governor Nasir El-Rufai has extended his condolences to the families of the victims of the renewed attacks which began last night, 19th February 2017. The governor assured them that the government is fully committed to securing the area, with the active support of the army and the police.”
    The statement added that the two battalions of the army and the 10 mobile police squadrons are engaging the bandits, as the state carries out its obligations to secure the area, protect lives and rout these armed bandits.”
    The statement quoted the governor as saying: “Despite these difficulties and the pain of the attacks, this is not the time to give the bandits the pleasure of seeing victims turn on each other.”
    He called for support for the army and the security agencies as they work to repel attacks and crush the bandits.
    “Unknown gunmen in a coordinated attack invaded Bakin Kogi, Kaninkon Village in Jemaa Local Government Area in the state on Sunday 19th February, 2017 at about 5:30pm. They were repulsed by Operation Yaki Surveillance Patrol Teams and Operation Harmony Patrol Teams. Further attacks were recorded today in Kaura local government. Fatalities were recorded and some houses were burnt in the attacks.”

  • How to restore peace in Southern Kaduna, by El-Rufai

    How to restore peace in Southern Kaduna, by El-Rufai

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai spoke with reporters in Lagos on his style of governance, the rift between him and Senator Shehu Sani, the violence in Southern Kaduna and how to end the crisis. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

    Could you shed light on the protracted Southern Kaduna crisis?
    The crisis would start with a dispute between two people; as long as those two people are from different ethnic groups, different religious persuasions, they don’t get resolved by community leaders or law enforcement agencies. They get escalated into a group conflict between one ethnic group against another or one religious group against another.
    The conflicts, according to the Agwai Committee, arise from the semi-settled Fulani people. In at least two cases out of the 11 we have had, it was a clash between indigenous ethnic groups that are mostly Christians. So, I want people to understand this; this has been a pattern; 11 times it has happened and not necessarily religious, and it is mostly ethnic. It was only once in 1992 after the Zangon Kataf crisis that the Federal Government under Babangida established a judicial tribunal, which tried Zamani Lekwot and others for killings, and they were sentenced to death. Babangida politically commuted their sentences to life imprisonment, and thereafter, they were released. It was the Federal Government that did it, not the state government. The state government has never prosecuted anyone. And this is the pattern, and then, we wait for another conflict.
    Why is the area addicted to crisis?
    In 37 years, we have had 11, and if you do the maths, you will see that it happens almost every three years. So, when we came into office, I asked for all the reports of the commissions of inquiry and I read all of them; the only one that I have not been able to find is that of the first one, the Kasuwa Magani crisis. I read all of the White Papers because I knew sooner or later that in our four years, we might have one. So, we were ready for this. But we took steps to ensure that it did not at all happen. The first thing we did was to try to understand ‘why were communities in Southern Kaduna attacked?’ We set up a committee under Gen. Martins Agwai to study the problem and tell us what is the problem. The committee was inaugurated, submitted a report in August 2015. They had some findings and recommendations that were very, interesting. They found that there were three kinds of Fulani – the settled Fulani that don’t have cattle; the semi-settled who have cattle, but don’t go very far, maybe within the confines of the state and then, the transhumane Fulani, who come from West African countries.
    There is an ECOWAS protocol that allows them to move across these countries and it appears there are international stalk routes that had been marked in pre-colonial times to enable them to move their cattle up and down. What has happened is that, over the years, expansion of population, urban development, need for farmlands have encroached on these international stalk routes.
    So, as these Fulani, mostly from outside Nigeria, come. they get on farms that in their minds were part of the international stalk routes but have now been overtaken by need for agricultural land. This is where the conflicts come.
    What were the findings of the committees set up to probe the crises?
    The conflicts, according to the Agwai Committee, arise from the semi-settled Fulani who move cattle within Nigeria and the transhumance Fulani who come from outside Nigeria. The second finding and recommendation of the committee was that under Governor Patrick Yakowa, this dichotomy was understood by him and that when the attacks on Southern Kaduna communities persisted, he figured that it had to do with the 2011 post-election violence and he began to send delegations to reach out to the transhumane Fulani and offer them compensation to stop coming to kill.
    To some extent, Yakowa was successful until he died; because at some point, the attacks stopped. But, when he died, the successor government did not continue, and the attacks resumed. The Agwai Committee recommended that we should try to reach out to these transhumance Fulani because they are the main cause of the attacks. The committee established that it is not the Nigerian Fulani that are doing most of the attacks and that the bulk of it was coming from abroad.
    We said to them, ‘look, we offer you compensation for deaths, for livestock lost, provided you agree that these reprisals stop. Leave our people alone; this has happened, it happened in 2011.’ We were very successful because from August 2015 when we started the outreach, following Agwai Committee report, till May 2016, there were no attacks in Southern Kaduna. There was silence. We thought that we had dealt with more than one-half of the problem – the transhumane Fulani. Once we started sending delegations, even those who were planning to attack heard that the government was going round apologising, offering compensation. so, they waited because the Fulani have their informal ways of communication and we thought that we had solved that problem.
    What is your relationship with the three senators from your state?
    One of the things that I initiated was a monthly meeting with members of the National Assembly from Kaduna State across party lines. Because I believe that their job is to advocate for Kaduna State’s interest at the federal level and that we should all work together.
    I hosted them to a dinner immediately after the inauguration, but the senator from Southern Kaduna did not come, the two APC senators came, and most of the members of the House of Representatives came. I told them that we needed to work together to influence budgetary provisions for Kaduna, to influence projects and so on. I was doing that monthly, until the Governors’ Forum started fixing monthly meetings the same time I was having dinner with the members of the National Assembly. That disrupted it, and I have not met with them now for about four months, but we have now agreed to a monthly late lunch meeting. The senator from Southern Kaduna maybe considered himself a PDP senator and, maybe, thought we would not be fair to him; so he has never attended these meetings.
    I think that, once elections are over, you are governor of everyone and you should try to bring everyone along. That does not mean that I don’t have separate meetings with APC House of Representatives members or House of Assembly members; we do when we have to meet over party issues, and I meet monthly with House of Assembly members across party lines. They come, and I host them to dinner. They ask what we are doing, and we explain.
    We are on one page, and I think this is why our House of Assembly, I think, is the most prolific in Nigeria. It has passed something like 25 laws in two years.
    What is your relationship with Senator Shehu Sani?
    Shehu Sani’s history is that he is an activist, of some type and it is up to you to determine the adjective. He contested the APC primary and defeated the candidate that I supported (General Sani Saleh), and after the primaries, I brought everyone together and said we have to win this election. I got Saleh to support him, and we supported him fully. I think the problem is that because Shehu Sani’s mind is that of an activist, he thinks that the way to position himself…he thinks politics is being in the media all the time. Activism is different from politics. Sometimes in politics, you don’t want your name in the media, but activists’ oxygen is the media, and he thinks that the way to remain visible and prepare him for running for governor of Kaduna State in 2019 is to criticise everything I do.
    Even, if I breathe air, he will criticise it. I told my media team not to respond to him; we are a government of everybody, including Shehu Sani. Let the party apparatchik respond to him, let people in the streets respond to him, and I also told them to let’s work, let’s produce results because we will get to the point that nobody can come and criticise us. Because of the things he has been doing, criticising the president, saying all sorts of things about me, the party disciplinary process was initiated against him, but he blames it on me. He thinks I engineered it. But, frankly, I don’t care about Shehu Sani. I don’t think he is a threat to me politically or in any way. In 2018, when the whistle is blown we will see who has support on the ground in Kaduna.
    It is claimed that you empowered General Saleh’s supporters…
    I can choose who to empower. I am the governor of the state, and I have to make appointments, and in making the appointments, I have to balance merit, loyalty and paying off other debts. I don’t owe Shehu Sani anything. I asked all of them, Shehu Sani, to give me names of people that I will appoint to positions. They gave me, and I looked at them, and none of the people from Shehu’s list is good enough to be a commissioner in my cabinet.
    Shehu Sani’s first anger was that the list of commissioners came out and none from his list. In a state where there are about 10,000 PhDs that I have in my data base; I am not going to take a diploma holder and make him a commissioner just because he is Shehu Sani’s man. I don’t operate like that. When President Obasanjo called me and said he was going to make me a minister, I gave him a condition that ‘you don’t appoint members of my team, I will appoint my team,’ and that is the person that appointed me. If you have a difficult job, you have to appoint your own team. One of the commissioners we appointed has a Ph.D in Physics; he was a director in the Federal Civil Service. I never saw him until the day that I swore him in.
    We just looked at his CV. Somebody brought it, and we appointed him based on his CV because there is a job to be done. Do I do this all the time? No! When we were appointing local government chairmen, I didn’t get involved. I said let us go and look at those who worked for us at the grassroots and appoint them local government chairmen and councillors. There are 225 councillors in Kaduna State, 23 local government chairmen; I did not appoint one! I left it to the party and our leaders, I said go and do it. I looked, and there was no woman, I said it is not possible, 23 chairmen and no woman?
    So, I looked I saw one woman councillor in one local government, and I made her chairman! That was the only thing I did. I got two women to be local government chairmen! That was what I did. I did not appoint one person because they are not working directly with me. But the people that work directly with me, I must have confidence that they can deliver. Many politicians don’t like this because the PDP system of distribution has become so engrained that people feel entitled that once they help you win an election, you must give them commissioners or so.
    Even Obasanjo that made me minister of FCT did not send me one person to work with me! On his membership of the Abuja Cabal It is not correct. Am I very close to Buhari? Yes. I worked very closely with him in the CPC (Congress for Progressive Change) when everyone had given up on him. I know him, I know how he thinks and he trusts me. Primary assignment He knows that I am driven by public interest. Do I participate in federal decision making? I don’t. I am too busy addressing Kaduna problems to be part of it. When I am called for an opinion or when I happen to be around, and I have an input or if I see something going seriously wrong; I drive and go and see Mr. President I have heard A, B, C, D. I don’t think it is right, you should consider doing C, D, E. I do that and I drive back to Kaduna. My primary assignment is Kaduna. I am not involved in the Federal Government. People like to say and attribute so much to me, and sometimes it is good for me, it gives me a larger than life image!
    Is there a cabal?
    There is always a cabal. Even in your own newspaper, there is a cabal. Nobody can run an institution without a coterie of two, three, four trusted people. There is always a cabal; the issue is whether it is a positive or a disruptive cabal. Am I a member of the cabal? No, I am governor of Kaduna State, I work for Kaduna State 24/7. Why have you not transmitted some good things you did in Kaduna like the attachment of portfolios to commissioners-designate to the president?
    Every leader has his leadership style, and every governor has his own culture. The culture in the Federal Government is to send names without portfolios. But that was the culture in Kaduna before you came? But I have decided to change it. I am not the president. If I am the president, I probably may do things differently, but if I am the president, also, I may get information and briefings by officials and security agents that may help me do things differently. You don’t know how much briefing or information he has. Every leader has his own style, information that guides how he decides. So, I can’t say that what I have done in Kaduna is necessarily relevant to the Federal Government. The marking of Inuwa Abdulkadir’s house? I don’t know that. I didn’t even know Inuwa Abdulkadir had land or house in Kaduna. I know that he has a wife that lives in Kaduna, I would assume that like most northern elite that he has a house in Kaduna, but I really didn’t know. I don’t know about this. These things are done as a matter of procedures and duties, and if he has his title and approved building plans, nobody would touch his house.
    Of course, there is a problem between us because he is trying to mess up our party in Kaduna State in pursuit of an agenda and I have told him that if he doesn’t stop doing that, that I will deal with him and I got three witnesses to that. I am not a guerrilla warrior, if I am going to fight you, I will give you notice so that you will prepare. If Inuwa Abdulkadir has a house in Kaduna and he built without title or permission, I will not ask KASUPDA not to demolish just because he will blame me for it; I don’t care about that.
    On the other hand, if he has his title and approved building plans, you better ask him to produce them to KASUPDA because this KASUPDA is three or so levels below me and I don’t get to know what they are doing.

  • Fresh threat to Southern Kaduna peace

    Fresh threat to Southern Kaduna peace

    The foundation stone of a military base in volatile Southern Kaduna has been smashed, prompting concerns that peace in the area may still be far off. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports

    So much blood has been spilled and so much property destroyed in Southern Kaduna that virtually everyone said the answer lay in a military presence in the area to deter the bloodthirsty attackers.

    With the destruction of the foundation stones of a military facility in the area shortly after they were laid, where lies the hope of peace?

    Kaduna State has been blighted by violence in its southern parts. That was why commissions of enquiry into the crises recommended that military formations be set up since it was widely believed that lack of military presence in the area emboldened the invaders to attack repeatedly and get away with it. Even residents of the area often blamed such crises on the slow response of security personnel.

    Sample this: Two days after the attack on some villages in Chawai Chiefdom of Jema’a Local Government Area in Kaduna State in November 2016, the famous Southern Kaduna socio-cultural group, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) reiterated the call, believing that it will end the bloodbath.

    A statement by its President, Mr Solomon Musa, a lawyer, on November 15, 2016, said, “While the attacks have continued to fester, the efforts of governments and security agencies are yet to be felt, seen or appreciated by our people. SOKAPU has consistently called on governments and security agencies to bolster intelligence gathering mechanisms to detect early warning signs.

    “We have also called for the establishment of military barracks and security formations around the attack-prone axis of Kauru, Jema’a, Sanga and Kauru as both deterrence and as a quick response strategy but to no avail.

    “The villages that have come under the onslaught of the terrorists have also been calling for the deployment of security personnel in the forest, mountains and flashpoints rather than the highways, but these calls have not received any favourable response. The pattern that has emerged, sadly now, is that attacks occur with impunity usually followed by fire fighting and feeble cosmetic measures by security agencies and the government that have failed to yield any dividend.

    “SOKAPU as a union in its support for peace, law and harmonious living carried out a peaceful protest in Gwantu on Thursday 25/8/2016 and made the following demands that: The government of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai keeps his campaign promise of safeguarding our lives and property by also funding a formidable joint military operation to flush our murderers and restore ‘captured’ lands to their owners”.

    There have been allegations that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and that of Governor Nasir el-Rufai abandoned the area.

    Perhaps in response to that accusation, the government resolved to establish two military formations in Southern Kaduna, one in Kafanchan and the other in Kachia. These were in addition to a mobile police squadron already launched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris.

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai was   recently in Kafanchan to lay the foundation for a Nigerian Army Forward Operation Base (FOB), which the army chief said its officers and personnel will make ready in three months, while the base’s structure will take a few years to complete.

    Governor El-Rufai told General Buratai that his government cannot wait until the structure is completed, but will provide a temporary site to accommodate the military base until the permanent site is completed.

    He said, “The state government will provide the army with a temporary facility for immediate take-off of the Forward Operation Base pending the completion of the permanent site.”

    He equally assured that the state government will immediately commence survey of the military formation site land, with a view to quickly issue its Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) the army authority.

    El-Rufai also said that his government will fish out those behind the Southern Kaduna killings and make sure they go to prison, saying the recent unrest in the region was the 11th since 1980 and lamented that nobody has been prosecuted either for the killings or destruction of property.

    Laying the foundation stone, Lt.-Gen Buratai said the Army is in Southern Kaduna to restore peace and they were not going to take sides while discharging their responsibility.

    The Army Chief who had earlier visited the Chief of Kagoro, Ufuwai Bonet and Emir of Jema’a, Alhaji Muhammadu Isah Muhammadu at their respective palaces said he was equally in Southern Kaduna to meet with his officers and men who had been deployed to the area to ensure peace.

    He said, “The present crisis is coming to an end. Now, we have restored normalcy in the troubled areas. People have started coming back to their homes. I was in Ninte this morning. I saw the farmers and the Fulani. I spoke with them on the need to live in peace with one another.

    “You can’t separate the farmers and the herdsmen. They have a long history of co-existence. So, they must live together. The better they live together the better for them and everyone.”

    In their separate remarks, the Chief of Kagoro, and Emir of Jema’a thanked the military for their presence, saying, though the incessant attacks and killings are gradually disappearing, there are isolated attacks going on by the hoodlums.

    They commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving  the setting up of military formations in the area.

    Chief Bonet said, “I equally want to say that the criminals carrying out these attacks are not our Fulani. We have been living with our Fulani peacefully, we know them. But I told the governor these Fulani that came to terrorise, if they are from Mali, how did they find their way into our towns and villages and who armed them?“

    Why was the foundation stone destroyed four days after it was laid?

    Alhaji Tajudeen Tijjani, a veteran journalist and public affairs analyst seems to believe that Southern Kaduna people are to blame for the destruction of the foundation stone.

    He said, “If you remember vividly, members of 29 Southern Kaduna communities recently came together to work for peace. The group which cuts across religion and ethnicity was trained by an NGO. They moved from one community to the other, asking people to forgive one another. At a point, the group under the auspices of that NGO called Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) invited the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam El-Rufai to launch their apology billboard. At that occasion, the Chairman of Plateau State Council of Chiefs, the Gbong Gwong Jos, Dr. Buba Gyang was in attendance and spoke passionately on the way out of the Southern Kaduna crisis. But, if you go to Samaru Kataf today, the apology billboard has been destroyed.

    “So, when I heard that the foundation stone recently laid by the Chief of Army Staff and Governor El-Rufai has also been destroyed, I was not very surprised because those who made the loudest noise in criticising the government of the day and asked for the military formation did not even acknowledge the gesture in the first place when the foundation was laid.

    “But, the question is, what do the people of Southern Kaduna really want? They asked for peace, an NGO started building peace, some bad elements destroyed their apology billboard. They asked for a military formation, the government decided to give them two and a police squadron, now they have destroyed the military formation’s foundation. It is unfortunate”, he said.

    Governor El-Rufai also responded to the destruction of the foundation stone, saying in a statement, “I received the news with shock over the unfortunate destruction of foundation laying structure of the proposed Nigerian Army battalion in Southern Kaduna. The very structure we erected to establish the long-awaited Army Barracks to assist promotion of peace and end the decades of senseless bloodletting in the southern part of Kaduna State.

    “The situation is unfortunate, condemnable and a setback to the government’s communal stabilization and  peace building efforts, but we will not be deterred. We urge our people that cherish peaceful coexistence to  continue to be resilient, focused and resolute in overcoming antics of forces of darkness and evil. Those that did this are determined to derail the contributions of the security agencies, having failed to spread their tentacles of hate, bigotry and penchant for divisiveness.”

    There is no proof as to who destroyed the stone, yet. Was it the people who are constantly attacked or their attackers or mischief makers?

     

  • Southern Kaduna: Hoodlums destroy military base foundation

    Southern Kaduna: Hoodlums destroy military base foundation

    Only rubbles remained yesterday of the foundation stone of the planned military base in Ungwan Yashi area of Zangon Kataf Local Government, Southern Kaduna after an attack by suspected hoodlums overnight.

    The foundation stone was laid on penultimate Saturday by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, as part of efforts to step up security in the area and reduce the incessant killings by Fulani herdsmen and the locals.

    A furious Governor Nasir El-Rufai lashed out at the vandals yesterday and vowed that they won’t go unpunished.

    Government, he said in a statement by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, would not give in to “obstacles and setback to its stabilisation and peace building efforts by destructive elements.”

    He branded the destruction of the foundation stone as unfortunate, condemnable and a setback to government’s peace initiative.

    His words: “I received the news with shock over the unfortunate destruction of foundation laid for the proposed Nigerian Army Battalion in Southern Kaduna.

    ”The very structure we erected to establish the long-awaited Army Barracks to assist in promotion of peace and end the decades of senseless blood-shedding, in the southern part of Kaduna State.

    “The situation is unfortunate, condemnable and a setback to the government’s communal stabilization and peace building efforts, but we will not be deterred.

    ”We urge our people that cherish peaceful coexistence, to continue to be resilient, focused and resolute in overcoming antics of forces of darkness and evil.

    ”Those that did this are determined to derail the contributions of the security agencies, having failed to spread their tentacles of hate, bigotry and penchant for divisiveness.

    “I want to use this medium to appeal to all men and women of conscience to remain firm and optimistic, while the government in collaboration with security agencies, civil society, religious and traditional institutions will continue to work assiduously for peace and security of life and property.

    “Finally, all those that have their hands in the destruction of this structure will not go free.

    ”The security agencies will fish out the perpetrators, and those found to be involved, or engaged in omissions that led to the destruction of public property will be brought to justice without fear or favour.”

  • El Rufai: Those behind Southern Kaduna killings will go to jail

    El Rufai: Those behind Southern Kaduna killings will go to jail

    •Buratai breaks ground for military formation in Kafanchan

    Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday vowed that perpetrators of the Southern Kaduna killings will go to prison.
    He spoke during the stone-laying ceremony of two military formations in Kafanchan by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai.
    The governor lamented that the recent unrest in Southern Kaduna was the 11th in series since 1980 without the prosecution of anyone for the killings and destruction of properties.
    Speaking on the military formations, El-Rufai said the state will provide the army with a temporary facility for immediate take-off of the Forward Operation Base (FOB) pending completion of the permanent site.
    He pledged the state will immediately commence survey of the military formation site land with a view to handing the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the army authorities.
    Buratai said the Army is in Southern Kaduna to restore peace and promised soldiers will not take sides while discharging their responsibility.
    While assuring that the Forward Operation Base will be ready in the next three months, the Chief of Army Staff said his men will not spare any trouble maker, no matter how highly or lowly placed.
    ”We are not going to spare anyone that is fomenting trouble in the area no matter his standing,” the army chief said.
    Buratai also paid courtesy visits to the Chief of Kagoro, Ufuwai Bonet and Emir of Jema’a, Alh Muhammadu Isah Muhammadu at their palaces.
    According to him: “The present crisis is coming to an end. Now, we have restored normalcy in the troubled areas. People have started coming back to their homes.
    “I was in Ninte this morning. I saw the farmers and the Fulani. I spoke with them on the need to live in peace with one another.
    “You can’t separate the farmers and the herdsmen. They have a long history of co-existence. So, they must live together. The better they live together the better for them and everyone,” he said.

  • Fulani herdsmen, others paraded for inciting S/Kaduna crisis

    Fulani herdsmen, others paraded for inciting S/Kaduna crisis

    17 suspects including Fulani herdsmen and others have been paraded by the Police for their alleged involvement in the crisis rocking some parts of Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State.

    The police explained that the suspects were arrested for inciting public disturbance, disturbance of public peace, causing mischief by fire, culpable homicide, theft and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

    The Force also noted that the act instigated by the suspects led to the death of so many people.

    The suspects paraded are; Nelson Paul, Bulus Jatau, Magaji Shaibu,  Danlami Yakubu, Idris Bello, Danjuma  Barde, Goma Adamu,  Samuel Joshua and Abudulkareem Abdul.

    Other suspects are; Haruna Iliyasu, Hassan Idris, Adamu Haruna, Adamu Umar. Sulieman Saleh, Abubakar Mohammadu and Muhammad Jori.

    Items recovered from them include; 29 assorted firearms and ammunition.

    Breifing Jiurnalists in Abuja yesterday, the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood said the success was recorded after the IGP constituted an Operation Harmony team.

    According to him: “Concerned by the recent unfortunate sectarian crisis in Kafanchan and neighboring communities in Kaduna state where so many innocent lives were lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed, as a result of this and the need to put a final stop to the crisis the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris constituted a Joint Tactical Operation Squad (Operation Harmony).

    The team comprised of  the Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Intelligence Response Team, SIB, EOD, the IGP Monitoring Unit, Police K9 (Sniffer Dog Section), Police Air wing and Police Medical Team with Headquarters in Kafanchan.

    “The operation recorded remarkable achievements in tackling the crisis and preventing further disturbance of public peace across southern Kaduna.

    “17 suspects were arrested in the act and catches of fire arms and ammunition were recovered from them. They would be charged for homicide to ensure that it serves as active deterent to others”.

    Moshood added: “All the suspects paraded comprises of the Fulani’s and the natives. It was reported in certain session of the press that nobody has been arrested and investigated but it is not true.

    He also noted that aside the 17 paraded, others are presently undergoing investigation and they would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

    On the exact number of death recorded since the crisis commenced, he said investigation was ongoing to collate the exact number of casualty.

    On the source of firearms used for the operation, he said: “the dealer that supplied the firearms was also arrested.

    Also speaking, the dealer of firearms, Nelson Paul said: “I am a native of Kaninkon and most of the riffles displayed were sold to other suspects here by me. I sell between N30, 000 to N40, 000.

    “I was arrested before now but I have repented. Policemen came to my house and upon investigation; I took them round to recover the arms from those I sold them to.

    “I am not the source or manufacturer of the arms ammunition, I got them from Jos,” he explained.

  •  Southern Kaduna: Archbishop calls for peace

    Founder of the Resurrection Praise Ministry Worldwide, Archbishop Samson Benjamin has called on Nigerians and religious leaders in particular to exercise patience, and not overheat the polity over the spate of killings in some parts of the country.

    He made the call after a meeting with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris in Abuja.  At the meeting were the DIGs.

    He stated that contrary to beliefs in many quarters that government and the security agencies were not doing anything to curtail the killings, or bring those involved to book, the cleric, assured Nigerians that the police was up and doing.

    He said that the police have made a number of arrests over the Southern Kaduna killings, and that the IGP was only bidding his time to make it known to Nigerians, even as he praised the police boss for being proactive.

    According to the cleric, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el Rufai was also instrumental in the arrest of the suspects whom he said were about 50, and arms recovered from them.

    “The IGP is a pro-active policeman, and has only been bidding his time to let Nigerians know about the arrest of the suspects, as investigation, with a view to prosecuting them is still on-going” the cleric who is referred to as African Major Prophet stated.