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Kaduna Govt. Meets With Community Heads Over Crisis

The Acting Governor of Kaduna State, Bala Bantex, has met with community leaders from different parts of Nigeria that are resident in the state. The … Continue reading Kaduna Govt. Meets With Community Heads Over Crisis


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Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Bala Bantex (file)

Kaduna Govt. Meets With Community Heads Over CrisisThe Acting Governor of Kaduna State, Bala Bantex, has met with community leaders from different parts of Nigeria that are resident in the state.

The meeting, which included security agencies, was organised following the recent clash between Hausas and Yorubas in Ile Ife, Osun State, as well as the lingering violence in Southern Kaduna.

It was also convened to forestall any form of reprisal attacks in Kaduna State, and seek the support of the leaders in finding  solutions to the Southern Kaduna crisis which has claimed so many lives.

Resident community leaders comprising of Igbo, Yoruba, Igala and others from various part of the country gathered at the Government House, on the invitation of the Kaduna State Government.

Speaking, Mr Bantex warned those trying to incite unnecessary tensions in the state as a result of recent events elsewhere to desist from circulating videos, images and making inciting comments.

He appealed to the community leaders to prevail on their subjects to uphold peace in the state, remain calm and firmly reject any attempt to drag them into any form of violent behaviour.

Enemies Of Peace

“Those trying to incite unnecessary tensions in the state because of what is happening in Ile Ife, Osun State should desist from circulating videos and images with inciting commentary and calls to citizens for reprisals.

“Already, the unfortunate incidents in that part of the country have been contained and taken care of, so the government will not watch enemies of peace capitalising on the situation to cause problems in Kaduna State, using images and videos to incite reprisals.

“People circulating images and calling for reprisals are enemies of peaceful society, and all citizens must say no to them.

“The Kaduna State Government is determined to ensure that anyone or group of persons distributing images and videos calling for revenge are arrested and prosecuted.

“Citizens must support the government to ensure that every threat to law and order in the state is defeated,” he said.

Speaking on the crisis in Southern Kaduna, the Acting Governor noted that the violence was purely an act of criminality and banditry, contrary to the Christian against Muslim crisis as widely believed.

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Some traditional rulers at the meeting

According to him, the most peaceful local government area in Kaduna State is Jaba Local Government Area, which is one of the eight local governments that make up the ‘Zone Three’ called Southern Kaduna.

The leader of the Community Leaders Forum and President-General of Yoruba Traditional Rulers Council in the 19 Northern States, Abdulganiyu Oguntoyinbo, in his response said those responsible for the Ile Ife crisis did not represent the Yorubas as a people.

He urged the Yoruba community in Kaduna and Northern Nigeria to remain calm, peaceful and shun reprisal attacks.

“We are tired of blood spilling and we therefore appeal to our political, religious and traditional leaders irrespective of their differences to come together and find a lasting solution to the recurring crises,” Oguntoyinbo said.

While commending the Kaduna State Government for convening the meeting to acquaint them on the measures taken to protect lives and properties of citizens, especially the non-indigenes, he lauded the Governor, Nasir El-Rufai’s administration for the ongoing infrastructural development in the state.

Although the community leaders commended the recent steps taken by government and security agencies to end the attacks in Southern Kaduna, they expressed concern over the negative consequence of the crisis on the socio-economic development of the state.

Reports say so far, many lives and properties were reportedly lost in about 10 sectarian crises in Kaduna State in the past 30 years.