SOUTHERN KADUNA PEOPLES UNION (SOKAPU)
Press Statement for Immediate Release,
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) wishes to bring to the attention of Nigerians and international community the unprecedented deterioration of the security situation in Kaduna State. This grim reality has continued to cast frightening uncertainties on the protection of lives and properties in the state.
The last time we call the attention of the Nigerian public on the killing of scores of persons, sacking of no fewer than 14 Gbagyi communities in Chikun Local Government Area and the kidnapping of over 58 persons, including a breast-feeding mother with her six-month old baby. We want to tell the world that since the abductions of these defenseless people, there has been disturbing silence on the part of both government and security agencies over the fate of the abducted.
Just yesterday, Sunday 2nd February, 2020, a suspect in possession of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was arrested in the Living Faith Church, Sabo Tasha, Kaduna. This created a tense situation in Kaduna, as the evil cruelty of past bombings of churches in Kaduna by Boko Haram terrorists is still fresh in the minds of relations of victims and their loves ones.
It could be recalled that with the incessant kidnappings of people and other violent crimes on our communities, four students of The Good Shepherd Major Catholic Seminary, Buwaya, Kaduna were kidnapped. After three weeks of dehumanizing experiences, three were released, but one of them, Brother Nnadi Michael, was grisly murdered last Saturday.
In a similar fate, the wife of a philanthropist, and a medical Doctor, Mrs Ataga, whose husband had built a police post for the Unguwan Juji, community in Kaduna, was forcefully taken away with her three kids after a vigilante, Emmanuel Usman, was killed by the assailants. A ransom of N20 million was thereafter demanded. While her husband, relations and friends were running from pillar to post to raise the ransom, she was mercilessly murdered in the most barbaric manner. Her mutilated corpse was later dumped by the roadside. At the time of making this statement, her abductors are still demanding N20 million as ransom for the kids. What a tragedy! Only in Nigeria would such dastardly act not attract quick response from the authorities.
Having observed resurging recurrence of violence ripping across the state, with the heartless manner that victims are murdered, especially the southern part, SOKAPU is constrained to draw conclusion that Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, in collaboration with Fulani herdsmen militia, have now found a safe haven in Kaduna state to perpetrate their murderous activities as witnessed in the recent killings.
The inhuman and callousness of the crimes, all have the tale tell signs of ISWAP and Boko Haram now operating in a fertile crime ground of armed herdsmen.
It is therefore, very pathetic that in the past one month, several communities have been victims of horrendous calamity with no restrain. Not only have people been abducted and about N100 million ransom demanded by kidnappers from the Buruku communities of Chikun LGA, SOKAPU has on a daily basis been inundated with distress calls and reports of kidnappings and murder of its members.
More worrisome is the unacceptable situation where thousands of our people have become refugees in their fatherland and now living as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in several camps. Strangely, no form of any succor has been provided by government to cushion the sorry conditions.
Signed: Luka Binniyat.
(National Public Relations Officer)
