Abdusalami, Sultan, Kukah meet El-Rufai over Southern Kaduna crisis

As part of efforts to find solution to the Southern Kaduna crisis, some prominent Nigerian leaders, including former head of state, General Abubakar Abdulsalami, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, were  yesterday in Kaduna to join forces with the government to bring lasting peace to the troubled zone in the state.

Others who visited the governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to prefer solution to the attacks and killings in Southern Kaduna communities yesterday, included Cardinal John Onaiyekan, retired military Generals from the troubled areas and other members of the National Peace Committee were also on the peace campaign visit.

Addressing journalists after a closed door meeting with Kaduna Sate Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami said: “We are here due to the recent happenings in Southern Kaduna. And from here within the week, we are going to meet with other stakeholders, religious leaders, the chiefs in the area and also visit the site where these problems are and discuss with the people. After which we will now sit  down and see what we think should be done.

“Then we come back to the governor and also if necessary to the Federal Government. Considering that these clashes and killings are not only limited to Kaduna State, it is something that is engulfing the country.

Abdulsalami who lamented the crisis in Southern Kaduna communities said: “So we want to make sure that peace reigns in Nigeria, to make sure that people know that we are together, we have to live in peace with each other and we have what it is to give and take.”

According to him, “We are reaching a situation in the country where human lives do not mean anything to people and this is wrong.”

The former head of state argued: “There is no religion on earth or anywhere that preaches violence. So this is why we are here today. We thank the governor and his team for receiving us.

“One of the points that the governor drew our attention to  is the way people take law into their hands and they go scot free. And this impunity must be checked. These are some of the issues we discussed”

Abdulsalami added: “Everybody is aggrieved in one way or the other, so what we beg on people is to be patient, try as much as to forgive and to be each other’s keeper.

We must live together, we must find solution to the problems to sit down and talk to ourselves because there is no problem that cannot be solved when you are talking to each other”.

Meanwhile Bishop Kukah, a Southern Kaduna indigene lamented over the attacks and killings in the affected communities, saying,  “I think the visit  is more of a solidarity with the people of Kaduna State.