PRESS RELEASE
Skipfo is alarmed over a Peace Meeting held at State House Kaduna on Monday 24th February, 2014 chaired by the SSG Kaduna State. We are not sure of the convener of the meeting but we are aware of a text message purportedly emanating from the Chairman, Kaura LG, Hon Kumai Badu sent to individuals in the Local government summoning them to a meeting on Monday, 24, 2014 at the State house, Kaduna.
The message stated inter alia “In pursuance of peace and reconciliation in our dear local Government, you are invited to the state house Kaduna, tomorrow, Monday by 10:00am for a discussion.”
Skipfo desires peace and reconciliation in Kaura LG, Southern Kaduna and indeed the whole state, but has strong reservations for such a gathering for the following reasons:
a) The insecurity caused by incessant Fulani night attacks in Takad Chiefdom most especially and Southern Kaduna in general causing deaths of human lives and wanton destruction of properties cuts across all sections of Southern Kaduna.
b) The theatre of killings and destruction is taking place in Southern Kaduna, and so any effort towards peaceful resolution is EXPECTED and SHOULD be held in Southern Kaduna and should be all inclusive of all stakeholders not Kaura LGA alone and not the State House, Kaduna.
c) It will be recalled that it was in a failed attempt at such piecemeal cosmetic peace resolutions like the one in question that led to the constitution of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee (P & RC) by the then sitting Governor, Late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa in 2011.
d) The P & RC did a marvelous job and has since submitted its report to Governor Alhaji Muktar Ramallan Yero. However, despite the upsurge in insecurity in Southern Kaduna in particular, and the State in general, the Governor has not deemed it necessary to release the White paper on this report.
e) The question agitating the minds of Skipfo and the good people of Kaduna State is why government is dragging its feet in implementing the report in spite of the colossal loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties taking place.
f) We strongly believe that implementation of the report will bring the much desired peace and reconciliation and not resorting to piecemeal meetings that do not achieve their aims.
g) Skipfo, therefore,
Calls on the government of Kaduna State to discharge its responsibility to the people of Kaduna State by releasing a white paper on the Report of the P & RC and implementing it.
· We implore Hon. Kumai Badu, Chairman Kaura LG to desist henceforth, from involving people of his LGA and calling for meetings that have no agenda and are detrimental to the interest of not only the people of Kaura LGA but Southern Kaduna as a whole. He is well advised to settle down and deliver on the mandate entrusted on him by the good people of Kaura LG rather than running to Kaduna for discussions that can never achieve unattainable solutions.
· We also call on all Chairmen that are from the geographical area called Southern Kaduna to work towards achieving collective peace, rather than individual efforts.
Finally, Skipfo calls on the government and people of Kaduna State to always strive to achieve peaceful co-existence based on fairness, justice and equity that God enjoins us through our shared humanity us to maintain.
Signed:
Maj.George Nchok Asake (rtd)
Chairman
