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We may end up having militarised country, says Catholic Bishop

By Segun Olaniyi (Abuja), Seye Olumide (Lagos) and Abdulganiu Alabi (Kaduna)
07 December 2017   |   3:52 am
Archbishop of Kaduna Catholic Diocese, Man-Oso Ndagoso has said that the spate of insecurity arising from farmers and herdsmen clashes was capable of militarising the country.

• Lawmaker, group seek end to killings, UN, AU, others intervention

Archbishop of Kaduna Catholic Diocese, Man-Oso Ndagoso has said that the spate of insecurity arising from farmers and herdsmen clashes was capable of militarising the country.

He noted that the recent killings between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in Numan, Adamawa State forced people to abandon their homes on sighting militant groups with dangerous weapons.

The Cleric said this while fielding questions from journalists yesterday at a press conference, in preparation for the commissioning of the newly built Catholic Secretariat, worth N286 million on Friday in Kaduna.He said in the event that government could not protect the citizens, there was the likelihood of the emergence of a militarised society.

“When citizens feel unprotected by government, they resort to a militant society. This is not good for us. People run away and abandon their homes when they see militants carrying arms. We cannot survive a militant society,” Ndagoso said.He blamed government at all levels for the escalation and reprisals on Numan killings, but expressed satisfaction over the recent visit by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the troubled area.

“But I was worried that curfew was not imposed throughout the crisis in Numan. This made the people to go about freely, carrying out killings and causing havoc.

“I think it is the failure of leadership. It is my hope that those who failed in their responsibilities will be held accountable. Our leaders must do something to stop future occurrence and we as followers should hold our leaders accountable,” he said.

Also speaking on the Adamawa killings, a former Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kwamoti Laori has called on the United Nations (UN); African Union (AU); Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Greenpeace and other international organisations to intervene by declaring the crisis zones as emergency region.

Laori said this in Lagos yesterday following Monday’s attack by suspected herdsmen on Dong and Lawaru in Densa Local Council and Shaforon in Numan Local Council of Adamawa State where hundreds of people were killed and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Meanwhile, the United Global Resolve For Peace (UGRFP) yesterday urged Nigerians to shun all forms of extra-judicial killings and jungle justice being committed across the country.

The group said government should implement policies that would sensitise members of the public from carrying out nefarious acts and the dangers inherent in killing fellow human beings.  

Speaking at a press briefing to commemorate the upcoming launch and campaign against jungle justice scheduled to hold in Akure, Ondo state on December 18, 2017, Executive Director, UGRFP, Olaseni Shalom said the incessant killings have severely dented Nigeria’s image, which threaten Nigeria’s resolve to exist as a democratic state, where peace and rule of law reign.

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