Lalong Urges Stakeholders to End Southern Kaduna Killings

• Traditional rulers resolve to work for peace

By John Shiklam in Kaduna

Plateau State Governor, Mr. Samuel Lalong, yesterday called on stakeholders  in Kaduna State to join hands and bring an end to the killings in the southern part of the state.

Also, the Kaduna State Council of Chiefs and Emirs yesterday urged security agencies and government at all levels to urgently tackle hate speech, incitement and other divisive tendencies fueling the killings in Southern Kaduna.

Lalong in a condolence letter to the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on January 17, 2017, described the killings and destruction of property as unfortunate and disturbing.

“I call on all leaders of communities, religious, socio-cultural groups and indeed all stakeholders in the state to join hands and bring to an end this dastardly act of violence” Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to El-Rufai in a statement yesterday quoted Lalong as saying  in the letter.

He called for partnership between the two neighbouring states to ensure peace and stability.

Lalong whose state had also witnessed massive killings and destruction of property called for the arrest and prosecution of those behind the crisis as a panacea for sustaining peace.

He expressed confidence that a partnership between Plateau and Kaduna States, “giving our common resolve to ensure peaceful coexistence and a secure environment for all our citizens within our borders, will be attained sooner than later.”

According to him, the assurances of President Muhammadu Buhari and his marching orders to all security apparatus, “together with the collective commitment of our communities to work assiduously in identifying and isolating conflict merchants for prosecution will yield the fruits of sustainable peace in our states.”

He noted that “the loss of scores of people and the retrogression that the violence has caused in the various communities bring very sorry and painful memories of the decade of blood on the Plateau, which we have now overcome with the collective resolve of the people.”

Lalong who also expressed optimism, that Kaduna State would bounce back, noted that the state has in the past come out of crises to become the cosmopolitan hub of peaceful coexistence through the commitment and declaration of all stakeholders for peace.

“I am therefore surprised that this resolve has been weakened by the eruption of violence in the Southern part of your state.

“All leaders must take a stand to become part of the solution and must avail their goodwill, experience, and wisdom as vehicles for the speedy resolution of the conflicts.

“Violent crisis everywhere in the world returns to the table of dialogue to be resolved, and the people of Southern Kaduna must therefore tow this part of humanity in resolving their disputes,” Lalong said.

Meanwhile the Kaduna State Council of Chiefs and Emirs yesterday called on security agencies and government to urgently tackle hate speech, incitement and other divisive tendencies fueling the killings in the southern part of the state.

The traditional rulers also resolved to work hard to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state.

Chairman of the council and Emir of Zazzau (Zaria), Alhaji Shehu Idris, stated gave this assurance when he led council members on a solidarity visit to the Kaduna State governor at the Government House in Kaduna.

Idris said the killings and counter killings were senseless and ungodly and are not the solution to any problem.

“It is quite disheartening and worrisome. We must work hard against these threats to our peace and unity. We are also here to commiserate with the governor on the attack of his convoy when he visited Kafanchan.

“We have to carry out our duties, we shouldn’t leave Kaduna State Government with the responsibility of securing it alone.

In his response, El-Rufai said the biggest assignment before his administration is to unite the people in order for development to take place.

He said: “Besides security challenges, we are faced with poor infrastructure, poor social amenities, poor schools, bad roads, lack of power and potable water and that is what this government is working to provide for the people.”