Southern Kaduna indigenes in diaspora petition El-Rufai over crisis

Dissatisfied by the Kaduna State Government’s handling of the crisis in the southern part of the state, members of Southern Kaduna Diaspora (SOKAD) have petitioned Governor Nasir El-Rufai over the intimidation of critics, while urging genuine settlement of the problems that led to the violence in the various communities.

In an open letter to El-Rufai, they said SOKAD was troubled by his handling of the genocide in Southern Kaduna.

“We have expressed our concerns about this on several occasions, specific to the intimidation of your critics, with the hope that the state will modify its approach, but to no avail.

“While the state government has made pronouncements on its desire to secure a lasting peace in Southern Kaduna, its actions, so far, have directly contradicted its pronouncements,” SOKAD said in the letter signed by its President of SOKAD, Dr. Freeman Kamaru and Secretary General, Danlami Ngboze, adding that one important step in the process of securing peace in any community is to dialogue with legitimate representatives of the people.

“However, when the state arrogates to itself the sole power to decide who it will dialogue with and ignores the people’s choice, it shows that the state call for peace is not genuine.

“A case in point is your attitude toward Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), which is the legitimate representative of the ethnic groups in Southern Kaduna.

“For the governor to refuse to dialogue with this respected group and to refer to its officers as bigots is unfortunate and unacceptable,” they insisted.

Kamaru added: “Your statement on national television that you will not meet with SOKAPU to discuss strategies for achieving peace in Southern Kaduna raises serious questions about your commitment to peace in the area.

“SOKAPU is a nationally and internationally respected group, led by learned professionals in different fields of human endeavors, who are well equipped to offer useful advice to the governor and others in leadership who are truly concerned about the ethnic and religious cleansing going on in Southern Kaduna.”

Kamaru further argued: “The state has failed these citizens by not protecting them and now it is taking away any chance of resistance against the terrorist wiping them out.

“The state is, therefore, aiding and abating the ongoing genocide. This is wrong and unacceptable. From available reports, no terrorist has been disarmed or arrested. The Fulani herdsmen are still armed and keeping their weapons, while some elected Southern Kaduna politicians, including Senator Danjuma Leah, have had their legally obtained guns confiscated, just as the Emirate in Kafanchan, which is widely believed to be a repository of illegally obtained weapons, has not been searched.”