The Kaduna State government has announced a 24-hour curfew in Kafanchan after the Thursday night violence that led to the death of a yet-unknown number of people.
Governor of the state, Mukthar Ramalan Yero urged the people of the area to be calm and law-abiding despite the curfew, assuring that the government would remain unwavering in smothering all threats to the peace and security of the people.
In a statement released to Huhuonline.com on Friday, spokesman to the governor, Ahmed Maiyaki implored the people of Kafanchan to always embrace dialogue as the only means of resolving conflicts rather than taking the laws into their own hands.
“Those fomenting trouble in the state should desist from their devilish plots to plunge the state into confusion,” he said.
“As a responsible government, we shall not shirk our constitutional duty of protecting the lives and property of the entire people of Kaduna State, no matter what it will take.
“The government is already investigating the root cause of the conflict and will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable, irrespective of their status in the society.”
Governor Yero urged the people to ignore rumours intended to escalate the crisis, saying the situation in Kafanchan had been brought under control by security agents.
Similarly, President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Dr. Ephraim Goje appealed for calm in the area but urged the government to unearth the killers of a young man on Monday night, as this was the action that precipitated the Thursday night violence.
The crisis also presented the Centre for Development and Rights Advocacy to restate its earlier call on the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the whole of southern Kaduna, saying this is the only solution to frequent attacks on communities in the area by unknown gunmen.
“Once more, we woke up today (Friday, 20th September, 2013) with the sad news of another ethno-religious skirmish on Thursday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State between indigenous people of Southern Kaduna and Hausa-Fulani settlers,” spokesman of the Centre, John Danfulani
“Report reaching us shows that lives have been lost. Before yesterday (Thursday) night’s anarchy, early signs of coming anarchy were clear but nothing was done to forestall it, notwithstanding yesterday’s killings and 24 hours curfew imposed in the town.
“Yesterday’s Kafanchan mayhem, along with others, justifies our earlier call for a declaration of a state of emergency in southern Kaduna area of the state, because there are evidences of gross incompetence in administrative and physical management of security in the area.”
The group reiterated that no security arrangement other than total declaration of state of emergency can end violence in the area, adding that there is a genocide scheme in southern Kaduna going by the persistent killings with impunity.
“This was how Rwanda and Yugoslavia genocides started. We hope the world will not continue to look the other way in the face of this entire growing phenomenon.
“Consequently, we beseech Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces to act by adding troubled Southern Kaduna region on the list of states under emergency rule. Mr. President should wear deaf ears on any counsel against a full declaration of a state of emergency in the area
“Like Federal Government acted in nearby Nasarawa State, we are demanding fast deployment of troops or at best special military squad to contain the brewing insecurity in the whole Southern Kaduna region that shares borders with Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, and Bauchi States, and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
“We are also demanding hourly aerial patrol on thick forests in the area, said to be the globally known International Cattle and Grazing routes. We will not hesitate to hold security agencies, Federal Government, and Kaduna State government responsible should the situation become worst far from the ugly trend we are in. A stitch in time saves nine.”
