* Mobile police base for southern Kaduna, says IGP
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) believes that peace can only return to
Southern part of Kaduna State only if both parties involved in the
killings forgive each other and stop reprisal attacks.
Addressing a press conference at the
weekend in Kaduna, Assistant National Secretary of the association, Dr.
Ibrhahim Abdullahi called on he people of the area forget about what has
happened in the past and move om. “We call on the entire people of
southern Kaduna to forgive what has happened. Both parties should learn
to forgive.
“This crisis will never end if you think
you would go and revenge what happened to you , so we’re appealing to
all parties to sheath their swords and embrace peace” Abdullahi said.
The association also declared support to
steps so far taken by the government of Kaduna state and all the
security agencies aimed at ensuring the return to normalcy in the crisis
ridden area.
Abdullahi called on leaders, especially,
political and religious leaders to desist from making inflammatory
statements that could escalate the situation in southern Kaduna.
“There should be no hate speech, we
should avoid those speeches that paint us as fanatics or ethnic
champions. Let us all work for peace. We inherited a peaceful southern
Kaduna and I don’t think we are sensible if we bequeath to our children
and grandchildren a southern Kaduna that is fighting itself. We want to
assure that we will continue to work with people of goodwill. In
southern Kaduna there are good people that are out for peace” he said.
Narrating the events that led to the
current crisis that started sometimes in May, Abdullahi recalled that
“an argument ensued between two pastoralists that were trying to pass
through a stalk route with which resulted in a fight with a farmer.
“Bother parties were wounded and were
taken to hospital for treatment and I think one of the Ardo from that
area volunteered to pay for the treatment of the Fulani that were
wounded, but some youths thought otherwise and organised themselves,
killed the Ardo, set him ablaze, burnt about 67 of Ardo’s settlement and
there we go.
According to him, “MACBAN with some
well-meaning sons of southern Kaduna sat down together and started
working on peace even up to the stage of signing an agreement.
He said further that a meeting of both
parties was held at the Palace of Chief of Godogodo, “we asked all the
nomads that were affected by those crises to return.”
He said both parties were about to sign
the agreement for peace when another killings happened again as “Four
nomadic youths rearing their animals were killed and we started again
from square zero.”
Speaking further, he said some 42
belonging to some nomads from Plateau state were killed will passing
through the area. “Later a new dimension was introduced to the issue
where people just go out wherever they see a Fulani man with his cows,
they attack and killed him.
“They block roads and stop vehicles,
anybody with the sign of Fulani man should be brought out and kill etc.
“That’s what has been happening. In one of the killings, a Mining
Engineer with his brother from Niger Republic, who had signed a MoU with
Nasarawa State Government to prospect for solid mineral and was
traveling to Nasarawa state was stopped and killed.
“Some nomads returning to Plateau state
from Niger state where they went for a function, and somewhere in Denghi
and Delmai at the border with Plateau, about thirteen of them were
killed in Darade and one of them is still missing, and the vehicle they
boarded was completely burnt. We had to quickly go, meet and discussed
with them.
“Some Fulani traders returning from
Lafiya were followed and tracked from Kagoro and finally got at Samaru,
some were killed, but two of them were saved by a Kataf man who hid them
in house for two days before returning them. “That’s why we’re saying
the idea of revenge and retaliation is wrong. If you want to attack
Samaru now to revenge what happened to your brothers you may likely kill
that Good Samaritan. So let’s avoid vengeance” Abdullahi stated.
He maintained that “as an association
whose members has been unjustifiably accused and maligned, we think that
it is time for us to make our stand and set the record straight for
posterity.”
Meanwhile the Nigeria Police yesterday
said it would establish a mobile police base in Kafanchan to address
security problems in Southern part of Kaduna State.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Mr. Ibrahim Idris, announced this to news men during a fact finding
visit to the trouble area, according to a report by the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN).
“From the discussion I had with Kaduna
State Governor Malam Nasir El-rufai, we have decided to station a mobile
police base in Kafanchan. We are here to see things for ourselves so
that we have a lasting peace in the whole area.” The IGP said a panel
had been set up to investigate the crisis in the area thoroughly,
including the allegation that 800 people were killed in the crisis.
Idris said some of the reports on
Southern Kaduna were exaggerated. He said most of the leadership of the
villages had a lot to contribute to peace and unity of the area. “Some
of the community leaders need to be cautioned. They are contributing to
creating situation that does not exist.’’
He said the police were committed to
restore lasting peace and later met with community leaders in the area.
NAN recalls that Operation Harmony aimed at restoring lasting peace in
southern Kaduna was inaugurated on Dec. 24.
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