IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

By Yemi Adebowale,

Just on January 7, Fulani herdsmen attacked Tsonje village, which is a stone throw from Kagoro town in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing two teenagers – Ephraim Ezekiel (19) and Joshua Ladi (14). Two other villagers are still missing. This attack came notwithstanding the large number of soldiers in Southern Kaduna. Vigilante in Tsonje and some policemen resisted the rampaging terrorists for hours, forcing them to retreat. While the battle lasted, soldiers deployed in Kagoro did not come to the assistance of the natives. Danjuma Laah, the Senator representing Southern Kaduna, has corroborated this account. This has been the trend in most of the Southern Kaduna communities that had been attacked by the rampaging herdsmen. Security agents often ignore distress calls from the communities and only appear after the attackers must have gone.

The case of Kagoro town is most painful. The area from which the terrorists launch their attacks on communities in the town is an open secret. Their well-known camp is located behind Pasakori village, at the foot of Kagoro Mountain. I am shocked that security agents have not taken steps to dislodge these terrorists from Pasakori, where they have forcefully taken over the lands of the natives. This only goes to support insinuations that the terrorists are enjoying some form of support from security agents in Southern Kaduna, as they go about killing law-abiding citizens of Nigeria. Another horrible trend in this troubled area is that youth vigilantes, who take turn to protect their communities against these terrorists, are daily, harassed and humiliated by security agents.
“I get reports of soldiers brutalizing Southern Kaduna natives; intimidating and threatening our brave young ones with arrest as they watch over their communities. I am making this public to alert the world to a possible regrouping of Boko Haram terrorists with Fulani herdsmen in Southern Kaduna. They are now conquering large swaths of lands. That was how Boko Haram started in 2009. I am appealing to the military to step in and assist the police,” remarked Senator Laah.

The truth that must be told is that a large number of security agents operating in this killing field called Southern Kaduna have compromised. They turn a blind eye to the killings, and only rush to trouble spots after the terrorists had performed their act of killing and destruction of houses and farmlands. This is why the casualty figures are on the high. According to the Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan, the unrest has claimed over 808 lives, in 53 villages in the area, with 1,422 houses, 16 Churches, 19 shops, and one primary school destroyed. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris did not calm nerves when he recently visited the area. Instead of marshaling how to tame the terrorists, the IGP spent quality time upbraiding Southern Kaduna leaders and questioning the casualty figures pushed out.

Clearly, there is an urgent need to overhaul the security arrangement here, with the natives playing a key role. For me, it is pertinent to bring in soldiers from other parts of the country to secure Southern Kaduna. Unfortunately, governments, both at the state and federal levels can no longer be trusted to provide a dispassionate security arrangement here. This is why they are unable to perform their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property in Southern Kaduna. Governor Nasir el-Rufai has been acting like a key member of this army of occupation disturbing this troubled area. This governor has consistently shown bias in the handling of this crisis. That was why the affected communities have persistently protested against him. Just as the General Secretary of CAN, Reverend Musa said, “El-rufai lacks the will power to arrest the situation and bring it under effective control.” The Vicar-General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan, Ibrahim Yakubu was apt when he remarked: “Governments, both at the centre and state levels have failed woefully. If anything, government has shown outright partisanship in favour of the herdsmen to the disappointment of the majority Southern Kaduna indigenes and Christians.”

The response from the government at the federal level has been feeble. It took President Muhammadu Buhari over a year to even acknowledge the massacre going on in Southern Kaduna. This systematic genocide and persecution in this part of our dear nation must not be allowed to continue. Buhari must take personal interest in the security arrangement in this area. He must prove that he is a President to all, by putting an end to the impunity in Southern Kaduna. These killing have continued because no single perpetrator has been brought to book by the government. It is disheartening that not even one perpetrator has been arrested and arraigned in court. This is the height of impunity in a democracy. At this point, I need to remind Buhari about that historic statement, “The buck stops here” made popular by late President Harry Truman of the United States. It was etched on Truman’s desk in the White House, while he reigned, because he reckons with the importance of responsible Presidency. Our own Buhari must realise that the buck stops on his table. He must rise above personal interest and tackle the Kaduna massacre with all his strength.
It is heartwarming to learn that the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Dr. Agnes Callamard is set to probe Kaduna killings. Callamard is hoping to identify the perpetrators, bring them to justice and provide reparations to victims. This morning, I urge Buhari to reflect on the recent submission of the former Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, who remarked: “Killing of innocent Nigerians has nothing to do with the triumph of democracy. We are not free if our lives are in danger while government that ought to protect us appears to be helpless.”

Thisday