Buhari, El-Rufai not committed to end Kajuri killings, alleges CAN

…Kajuri People Need Mutual Trust, Says Govt

Officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna chapter, have accused both the Federal Government and Kaduna State government of not displaying enough honesty and commitment towards putting an end to the killings in Kajuru communities of Southern Kaduna by armed herdsmen.

CAN expressed concern that despite the continuing attacks on hapless Kajuru communities, “those responsible for ensuring the security of lives and property were only playing lips service to the security challenge.”

Meanwhile, El-Rufai, yesterday, sued for peace after a meeting with security agencies and other major stakeholders to find lasting peace in Kajuru. In a statement after an emergency meeting by the religious organisation in the state, Kaduna chapter chairman of CAN, the Rev’d. Joseph Hayab, pointed that “the honesty and commitment towards seeking lasting solutions to wanton destructions of lives are lacking.”

According to Hayab, “no responsible government anywhere will act as if nothing was happening when a section of her citizens are killed.” He added: “The question is: Has the Federal Government been told the truth about the happenings in Kajuru or that she has chosen to ignore the defenceless people of Kajuru to suffer alone?

“The big challenge is that those who should see these killings as a war against her citizens are busy displaying sectional preference to a section of its citizens. What they do is rhetoric but no concrete and genuine action.

“Given the need to secure the life of every citizen, CAN Kaduna State calls on the government responsible for the protection of the citizenry to truly take on its constitutional role of protecting innocent citizens or else in the long run society ends up in chaos and the people everywhere may take up arms as their God given right to secure themselves,” Hayab said. He urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasir El-Rufai not to be complacent in handling the attacks by armed gangs in Southern Kaduna communities.

“Leadership is a serious business of safeguarding lives and prosperities. Hence, leadership is not about oratory but the taking of firm steps and actions towards stopping evil from destroying the land,” he added.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the meeting at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Yakubu Umar Barde, member of the House of Representatives, representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency, urged ethnic nationalities in the area to embrace peace. Barde, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the state government was taking all security measures to bring peace in the area.

“There is need for mutual trust among ethnic groups, as there will be no peace if there is no trust. The governor asked us, as major stakeholders, to talk to our people on the need for peace.

“The governor is taking all security measures to tackle the security situation. He is giving all the support to the security agencies to bring peace in the area,” Barde said

Besides, the state Commissioner of Police, Umaru Muri, said more security operatives had been deployed to the area and the situation was under control. He, however, cautioned the affected communities against reprisals, saying: “We discussed a lot about the reprisal attacks in Kajuru community. We cannot relent; we are trying our best for lasting peace in Kajuru. Reprisal attacks will not the solve the problem.” On his part, District Head of Kufana, Titus Dauda, described the meeting as fruitful.

The meeting, presided over by El-Rufai, had in attendance, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe; speaker of the state Assembly, Barde and state security chiefs, among others.