Senate President Bukola Saraki, has said that the
senate would commence an investigation into the latest killings in southern
Kaduna.
Saraki made the announcement in a statement
signed by his aide responsible for new media, Mr. Bamikole Omishore, in Abuja
yesterday, adding that the Senate will on resumption from recess on January10
make the issue a priority.
The statement from the Senate President came just as the Nigerian Army said
that it had not turned a blind eye to southern Kaduna, adding that it had
deployed forces to curtail further carnage and would be setting up a division
in the area, where herdsmen have been on the rampage killing and burning houses
of the locals.
The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau also yesterday
asked all well meaning Nigerians not to allow themselves to be dragged into
religious conflicts, observing that it had become necessary to make the plea
following insinuations that the criminal violence in southern Kaduna has a
religious slant.
Saraki’s media aide said the Senate President made the disclosure on the
investigation while responding to a tweet posted by one Chimeze Ukoha on the
Kaduna killings.
The statement quoted Ukoha as saying that “about 800 Christians were massacred
in southern Kaduna and nobody is talking about that, very bad”.
It quoted Saraki as
responding that “once @ngrsenate resumes, this issue will be addressed to get a
clearer picture of what the real situation is and find a lasting solution.
“Every Nigerian life matters and @ngrsenate will work to ensure that (the) rule
of law is always upheld as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution”.
The statement explained that Saraki was already in touch with senators from
Kaduna State and that he was constantly getting updates on developments.
Persons described as
Fulani herdsmen have repeatedly killed majority Christians in the southern
flank of Kaduna State in recent weeks, leading to a death toll said to run into
several hundreds.
Scores were killed and properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed
during the Christmas celebrations, leading to the criticism of government’s
silence and handling of the conflict.
Also reacting, the
Nigerian Army said yesterday that contrary to insinuations that it has kept a
blind eye on the killings in southern Kaduna, the army has deployed full force
operations to curtail further killings in the zone.
In its new year briefing, the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen.
Sani Usman said in Abuja that there was no iota of truth that the military had
not done anything to quell the crisis.
Usman said: “The Nigerian Army is fully deployed in the southern part of Kaduna
State, we have even gone beyond that.
“We are working
hand-in-gloves with other security agencies, particularly, the Nigerian Police,
Department of State Service (DSS) and other paramilitary agencies.
“So the Nigerian Army is
fully on the ground in Southern Kaduna. Again, the order of the battle of the
Nigerian Army has made provisions for siting military establishments in that
part of the state.”
He explained that six divisions had been approved, with the relocation of one
of the divisions from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State,
stressing that the setting up of new military establishments, mostly a barracks
in southern Kaduna was to “avert a recurrence of the bloodshed”.
On the recent arrest of a
Boko Haram terrorist in the house of a local government area chairman in Borno
State, Usman warned politicians and others shielding terrorists against such
acts, stating that any culprit caught would be dealt with decisively.
He observed that the army
“does not want to jeopardise or pre-empt the ongoing investigation” but will
ensure that all the culprits are brought to justice.
Giving more details on
the defeat of Boko Haram, Usman said: “The fall of Boko Haram’s Camp Zero in
Sambisa forest to our gallant troops has continued to attract commendation for
the Nigerian Army worldwide.
“We are going to consolidate on these gains. Therefore the Nigerian Army will
not rest on its oars in 2017. We will continue to accord high priority to
training, regimentation and welfare of the troops.”
To this end, Usman disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had directed
that the Nigerian Army Small Arms Competition (NASAC) would be conducted at
Sambisa forest.
“Already, efforts are
ongoing by the Nigerian Army engineers to open more routes and construct
bridges into the hitherto Boko Haram haven to facilitate easy access to the
forest,” he added.
He warned unscrupulous persons that had been extorting money from prospective
applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise by the Nigerian Army to desist
from such acts or be ready to face the law.
Dambazau Cautions Leaders
Meanwhile, the Minister
of Interior has advised leaders of note not to allow themselves to be dragged
into religious conflicts, adding that this had become necessary following the
perception that the criminal violence in southern Kaduna has some religious
connotation.
A statement yesterday by
his press secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, quoted Dambazau as saying that there
are “people who are always looking for ways to further create divisions along
religious or ethnic fault lines for their selfish interest, with the aim of
creating instability in our internal security”.
“Accordingly, the minister posited that true religious leaders do not fan the
embers of hate, but ensure that communities live in peace and harmony.
“In this connection, he
maintained that economic growth and development will remain a mirage for
Nigeria; with over 500 ethnic groups and multiple religions, unless we resolve
to live amicably as a people with a common destiny,” the statement added.
Speaking further,
Dambazau said criminals who perpetrate violence against innocent, law-abiding
citizens do not discriminate along religious and ethnic lines, citing examples
of how communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Taraba, Enugu, Lagos and Niger States
were victimised by the same violent criminals.
He noted that a criminal
should be treated as such, whether he is involved in armed robbery, drug
trafficking, homicide or cattle rustling, and that people should avoid honoring
criminals with religious or ethnic attachments.
He advised opinion and religious leaders to refrain from giving the crisis
between herdsmen and sedentary farmers in southern Kaduna a religious
connotation, adding, “Rather attention should be focused on the real enemies of
our society, who illegally acquire weapons to terrorise Christians and Muslims
communities alike.”
Dambazau said the police
have been tasked to ensure the sustenance of law and order, and to arrest and
prosecute anyone involved in criminal activities.
He urged Nigerian
citizens to cooperate with the police by providing actionable intelligence or
information in their quest to restore normalcy to the troubled communities.
He also reassured
citizens of the government’s commitment to tackle the root causes of similar
crises in all parts of the country, while paying special attention to measures
aimed at eradicating poverty, climate change, population explosion, and the
issue of rising unemployed youths, which have been identified as some of the
causative factors of these conflicts.
Mimiko Condemns Killings
But as the interior
minister attempted to douse tensions arising from the massacre in southern
Kaduna, Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko condemned the killings and
called on the federal government to do all within its power to stop them.
He also described the
constant bloodletting in the area as unfortunate.
Mimiko gave the charge yesterday during the traditional first working day
prayer held at the governor’s office in Akure, the Ondo State capital, and
asked the federal government to arrest the situation.
He said bloodletting, aside from its natural negative consequences on the unity
of the country, psyche and lives of the people in the affected areas, could
also inhibit the progress of a nation and obstruct the prayers of her people.
He thus called on the
federal government to find a way to restore peace to the crisis-ridden area so
that the bloodshed would stop.
The governor lauded
public servants in Ondo State for their unalloyed support towards his
administration’s notable accomplishments, adding that the strides made in
health care, education, urban renewal and youth empowerment, among others,
could not have been achieved if the workers had turned their back to his
programmes and policies.
The governor disclosed that 12.5 per cent of the Paris Club refund that was
paid to Ondo State recently would be used judiciously to pay workers’ salaries
and do some other programmes of government.
He explained that the
state was supposed to get 25 per cent of the refund like other states, but was
paid 12.5 per cent. He vowed to get the balance of the funds and use it
judiciously.
Mimiko said he and his
predecessors had laid a solid foundation for the incoming administration that
would be led by Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) who would take over from February
24.
He said his
administration had prepared the necessary groundwork for Akeredolu to take off
with some projects, including the smooth take off of bitumen exploration
saying, “We’ve worked on bitumen, and we have taken it to the threshold of
success.”
Source: [ThisdayNG]
