President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Olasupo Ayokunle has stated that CAN is ready to partner the Kaduna state government to ensure that the crises in Southern Kaduna does not linger.
Speaking at the Council Chamber of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House during a courtesy call on Governor Nasir el-Rufai on Monday, Rev Ayokunle noted that the crises predates the present administration, while urging the state government to find a lasting solution to the crises by learning “from the past in order to draw a roadmap for the future.’’
According to Rev Ayokunle, “the continuing crises has made people to tag it religious or ethnic because it has given them room to say whatever they are saying. Government should bring the killers who are variously referred to as ‘unknown gunmen’’ to book, the rate of prosecution so far, is not proportional with the frequency of attack.
“Whoever attacks first and whoever is doing reprisal are both criminals that must be made to face the wrath of the law. The Christian Association of Nigeria is ready to partner with your government and security agents in finding a solution to this matter. Let there be a roundtable discussion and a pledge of cooperation rather than confrontation,’’ he added.
Responding, Governor el-Rufai expressed sadness by the loss of lives in a totally unnecessary frenzy of communal attacks, reprisals and revenge.
He welcomed the visit of the CAN leadership and promised to consider the eight recommendations made by Rev. Ayokunle for implementation.
‘’While we mourn the dead, our immediate focus remains to stop the cycle of attacks and reprisals. We remain committed to ending the legacy of violence that has blighted the state for 40 years. Part of the false narrative of the history of violent conflict in Southern Kaduna is the loose use of terms like land-grabbing and genocide. They are being used in this current cycle of conflict, just as they were in the 2016/17 and the 2011/2015 cycles.’’
The Governor challenged anyone to characterise or differentiate the communal clashes, attacks and killings in parts of Northern and Central Kaduna state, as well as in Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Niger states from those in Southern Kaduna.
‘’Is it because in all the other cases, the victims are lesser humans or lacking in voice and media hype? What happened to our common humanity? Government has been consistent in saying that beyond boots on the ground, military bases and police stations, the ultimate guarantee of peace is the willingness of communities to live in harmony and their resolve to settle differences through lawful means.
“Some people do not want to hear this because it imposes responsibilities on individuals and community leaders to keep the peace and obey the law, but it is the civilised way to go,” el-Rufai added.
