By Iliya Kure
Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU), a socio-cultural progressive and rights group, is blaming Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, northern Nigeria, for the killing of its people on Christmas eve.
This was contained in a statement by the National Public Relation Officer of the Union, Yakubu Kuzamani.
Goska, a village near Kafanchan in southern part of the state was attacked on that fateful day, at a time when the whole area was under a 24-hour curfew – meaning, every person must remain indoor, except for the security personnel who patrol the area to enforce the curfew.
6 people were reportedly killed in the attack and several others injured.
A survivor had told AFRICA PRIME NEWS that “the attackers came in the daytime shooting sporadically into the air, but were initially repelled by military agents. Later the military withdrew from the vicinity for a break. That was when the Fulanis came back to attack our village burning houses and killing the innocent ones,” says a villager who escaped death during the attack, and chose to remain anonymous for fear of his life.
Barely two days to the attack, the Governor had announced intention of meeting president Buhari on the need to establish two military bases in the area. That was in addition to other steps taken to enforce law and order in the area.
The SOKAPU statement by its National Public Relation Officer, Mr. Kuzamani questions “Where was the surveillance helicopter that flew round Kafanchan during the day? What happened to it during the attack? Where were all the hundreds of security personnel quickly mobilised to Southern Kaduna? For some times we have been crying and screaming ourselves hoarse that we need security in Southern Kaduna but nobody paid any attention until when someone felt the need to ensure that his curfew isn’t flouted.
The statement further says, “We are saying it calmly that all men of goodwill should hold Governor El-rufai responsible for the killings in Goska, due to his inflated ego, unguarded utterances, appallingly undignified conduct in handling the killings in Southern Kaduna and his morbid penchant for deliberately living in denial of the actual people and reasons for the killings in our area since he became Governor.”
Killings in the area had continued unabated since it began more than 10 years ago. It escalated recently for a combination of factors, including what Church Leaders say, decision of government to carve grazing reserves for the Fulani herdsmen in the area, and the Miyetti Allah Fulani group called, killing of their brothers.
A recent media report has quoted Governor El-Rufai saying he paid his Fulani kinsmen some amount to stop the killing in southern Kaduna. The report has angered many people in the region and around Nigeria. The Governor did not discredit the media report, until the Senator representing Southern Kaduna, Danjuma La’ah, tongue-lashed the governor in a media conference.
The Senator had in a parliamentary plenary called on Nigerian government to declare State of Emergency on southern Kaduna until security situation improved in the area.
Senator La’ah and SOKAPU said more than 10 communities had been taken over by the Fulani herdsmen, after dislodging residents of the villages, rendering them homeless.
Governor El-Rufai had said there were saboteurs in the security situation, adding that some people were using the situation for political gains. He however did not go ahead to name the political beneficiaries of the crises.
As part of security measures, the governor had arrested a number of individuals in Southern Kaduna who asked people of the area to defend themselves.
The Governor had kept saying some people were behind the attacks, but he had not in any time mentioned any name. This had gone contrary to the nature of the man, who had shown no fear of individuals, especially when it comes to issues around governance, or his interests.
In a statement on the latest killing, Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Publicity, he said, “Government and security agencies will not be deterred; we will continue to be resilient, up and doing and courageous in tackling this unfortunate situation,” the statement added.
“Their tactics are to create a chasm, divide people, breed hate and prejudice and plunge the state into chaos but we will triumph over these evil forces by the grace of Almighty God.
“No amount of evil will change our deep commitment. We will continue to be firm, decisive and put lives of our citizenry and their wellbeing as our ultimate goal”, the statement says
It adds that, all those involved will be brought to book.
The Press Statement By SOKAPU
Once again the Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU) has had to painfully send out condolences to the murdered people of Goska village in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Ironically, on a day that our people ought to be joyously celebrating the Christmas festivities, was the day they were reduced to burying their loved ones, treating the wounded in hospitals and coping with a fresh batch of internally displaced people of Goska village whose houses were burnt down.
Burnt and killed on 24th December 2016, while happily engrossed in preparing for the Christmas celebration, secured in their knowledge that a 24-hour curfew meant to keep them indoors would also keep away their killers. Alas how wrong they were.
SOKAPU is calling on all people of goodwill to personally hold Governor Nasir El-rufai responsible for all those murdered in Goska village because these killings took placed under a 24-hour curfew, imposed on Zangon Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a LGs by the Governor. While people were forced to stay indoors, pampered marauding herdsmen whose presence around Goska has been noticed and reported by people around that area for almost three days, attacked the town and for hours killed and burnt without let or hindrance from security. This amply confirmed our assertion that the 24-hour curfew slammed on the 3 LGs in Southern Kaduna was just to punish the people for daring to protest the persistent killings in their villages on 20th December when El-rufai visited kafanchan.
It means the Governor lied on December 21 when, in justifying the 24-hour curfew slammed on the 3 LGs said, “The State Security Council said it took the step following credible intelligence about risk to lives and property in the areas.” More than 20 communities have been attacked and hundreds killed without the Governor getting any ‘credible intelligence’ to lives and property but he became drowned in ‘credible intelligence’ to justify his curfew when youths and women protested the killings in his presence.
To confirm that the Governor’s sole intention was to punish those who protested against him, look at the answer he gave State House correspondents when on 22nd December, he visited Aso Rock to get endorsement for the 24-hour curfew from Mr. President. “I don’t think the state government should be blamed, those responsible for the violence that broke out in those parts of the state should be held responsible for that. We have not imposed curfew in other parts of the state, we had to impose curfew here because of the situation that was caused by irresponsible behaviour by certain people.”
Those who initially thought the 24-hour curfew was to stop the herdsmen from continuous killings now can see the real reason for it.
Even the hundreds of policemen, soldiers and other security personnel quickly drafted to those 3 LGs, especially Kafanchan were just to enforce the curfew and arrest those the Governor felt disrespected him or trying to defend themselves and not to stop the killings. This was further confirmed by the attack on Goska, because despite the hundreds of security men brought in from all over, Goska village, just some few kilometers away from Kafanchan town was still attacked. And like always, the security went to Goska village after the marauders had killed, burnt and left.
Where was the surveillance helicopter that flew round Kafanchan during the day? What happened to it during the attack? Where were all the hundreds of security personnel quickly mobilized to Southern Kaduna? For some times we have been crying and screaming ourselves hoarse that we need security in Southern Kaduna but nobody paid any attention until when someone felt the need to ensure that his curfew isn’t flouted.
With the attack on Goska, who will the Governor now blame? He has blamed everybody for the continued killings in Southern Kaduna except himself or those he paid money to stop the killings. So who will he now blame for the Goska attack? Maybe they were Niger Delta militants disguised as fulanis!
We are saying it calmly that all men of goodwill should hold Governor El-rufai responsible for the killings in Goska, due to his inflated ego, unguarded utterances, appallingly undignified conduct in handling the killings in Southern Kaduna and his morbid penchant for deliberately living in denial of the actual people and reasons for the killings in our area since he became Governor.
We condemn the attack in Goska village and condole with the bereaved. SOKAPU is calling on all our people to remain calm, never to go on any reprisal, never to take the law into their hands and remain law-abiding. In the midst of all this, we are wishing all people in Kaduna state a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year.
Signed: Mr. Yakubu Kuzamani
National Public Relation Officer
