Kaduna Killings: House Calls for Declaration of State of Emergency

By Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the federal government and Kaduna State government to declare a state of emergency in the Southern Kaduna senatorial district to holistically tackle the continuous killings by herdsmen.

The House said this was necessary in the wake of recent attacks in Godo-Godo community in Ja’ama Local Government Area, whose death toll has risen to 44.

The lawmakers at the plenary yesterday, advised the federal government to set up a military strike force in the region as an interim measure.

The resolution followed a matter of urgent public importance sponsored by six Kaduna lawmakers led by Hon. Shehu Garba, who noted that the region has been consistently attacked since 2011.

The region, Garba said, is agrarian with arable and fertile lands, which has made it attractive to rampaging herdsmen whose attacks have resulted in deaths, injuries, loss of properties and displacement of communities.

“The federal government declared a security emergency in Zamfara State in the wake of similar terrorists attacks and set up a military strike force there,” he argued.

He added that the attacks on the communities so far indicated a pattern of deliberate desire to annihilate such communities, decimate their population, lands and generally create an atmosphere of terror,” he said.

Garba also recalled a resolution to set up a military battalion/base in Kafanchan, with which is yet to be implemented.

“Aware of efforts by the Kaduna State Government and federal government to restore peace in the area, but apparently the efforts are not enough…the recent attacks are coming on the heels of recent ones and with the presence of some security personnel on ground,” Garba added.