'Terrorists are all over, not only Southern Kaduna'

-Governor Nasir el-Rufai

el-Rufai addressing Journalists in Hausa after a security meeting on Southern Kaduna

By DANGWA DANJUMA

Governor Ahmed Nasir el-Rufai has admitted that terrorists are everywhere in Kaduna state, not only in the troubled Southern Kaduna, disclosing that miscreants have taken to the social media space to promote what he called disturbing and further aggravating the worsening situation situation with religious and ethnic colouration.

Speaking to newsmen in Hausa, after a meeting with security officials, el-Rufai said that miscreants from Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and outside Nigeria are trying to insinuate that the Southern Kaduna killings is ethnic and religious even going as far as asking people to take the law into their hands. While maintaining that these people would be brought to book, he tasked traditional leaders, religious leaders and political office holders in the state to speak the truth about the happenings as failing to do so would make the government take drastic action on them.

Governor el-Rufai who stated that the terorrists have denied farmers access to their farmlands in Giwa, Birnin Gwari, Igabi and Chikun local governments and the northern parts of the state and not just Southern Kaduna, also revealed that the meeting with security officials was to hear what is being done by security agencies in the state to deal with the challenge; other measures that need to be in place to ensure that farmers are able to work their farms in Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and also restore the peace and tranquility to Southern Kaduna.

He assured that the Kaduna State Peace Commission is on ground working around peace building with the communities, adding that it would be difficult to make any headway, if the people in the area fail to embrace peace because security agents cannot be everywhere at all times.

Watch the video of el-Rufai speaking to newsmen in Hausa

Earlier the Senator representing the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, Chief Danjuma Tella La'ah expressed dissatisfaction with the way and manner the governor is handling the security crisis: "I blame the happenings in the state on the governor, who has refused to put the necessary measures in place to curtail the security situation, rather he is always claiming not to know what is happening in Southern Kaduna. People should not be punished for not voting the governor as their popular candidate in the 2019 elections."

On his part, the leader of Southern Kaduna People's Union (SOKAPU), Honourable Jonathan Asake, described the Southern Kaduna wanton killings as an agenda against his people, calling on the federal government to intervene urgently.

In an exclusive interview with Cubinks News, Asake regretted that "despite the capacity and effective mechanisms to assess the situation in Southern Kaduna, government authorities have been economical with the truth about insecurity in Southern Kaduna. The area is under siege. That Fulani militia and Kataf youths are now involved in reprisal attacks, is an unconvincing narrative, to the events forcing women and children mostly vulnerable to be killed in the unabated attacks on defenceless homes and communities akin to invasion.

"The government and officials are refusing to come clean and stand for humanity. Instead of managing diversity, the Governor of Kaduna has decided to capitalize on fault lines to divide the people further. To me there is a geneocide ongoing in Southern Kaduna which is being fueled by a conspiracy to displace the people and occupy our lands."

A former Senator and Civil Rights Activist, himself an indigene of the state, Comrade Shehu Sani, while reacting to the appalling security situation tweeted thus: "when bandits kill in Zamfara, it is condemned; when bandits kill in Southern Kaduna, it is explained".

The merciless killings being witnessed in Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Kaura, Jema'a and Kajuru have rendered women and children homeless. Livelihoods have been destroyed amidst unabated banditry. Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo who heads the Operation Safe Haven, a joint task force working in Southern Kaduna and Plateau state, described banditry and cattle rustling activities in the area as overwhelming.

Comments

Why States may be unable to pay new minimum wage -Commissioner

Citizens listening with rapt attention By YUSUF GOJE C ommissioner, Planning and Budget Commission Kaduna state, Mohammed Sani Dattijo has queried the rationale behind the proposed upward review of the minimum wage, which he said compels even states that are not viable to play ball. Making the assertion at the recently concluded Citizens' Consultation forum on Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2019-2021 held in Kaduna, Dattijo said:"The minimum wage should be moved from the exclusive to the concurrent list, even though Kaduna state is healthier than most states, there are states that cannot afford the increase in minimum wage. If this is not done, the increase in minimum wage will only be on paper but difficult to implement by many states, resulting in labor disputes". He stressed that the exclusiveness of this piece of legislation which empowers only the Federal government to de...

Yearning for sound Fiscal Responsibility

Fundamentals for good governance G overnment and Citizens' Groups in Kaduna state have teamed up to engender effective budget tracking and implementation to create the enabling environment for increased internally generated revenue (IGR), in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). This was the fallout of a three-day eye opening event, facilitated by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL-ECP), in collaboration with the Kaduna state government. The engagement touched on the urgent need to conduct budget trend analysis across key sectors - Economics, Social, Law/Justice as well as Administration, including audit report, all aimed ultimately at putting Kaduna state in good stead for sustained economic growth. Addressing participants drawn from government and citizens' groups, Mr Timothy Effiong, a Public Financial Management Consultant, maintained that even in Kaduna a state that is very policy-driven, there exist gaps in g...

Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna By EDDY OCHIGBO, A coalition of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off. In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations. "The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank by telling the truth about the inherent dangers tha...

Fiscal responsibility: Kaduna State's debt burden and unrealistic budgeting

By YUSUF ISHAKU GOJE T he budget is said to be the second most important document outside the constitution, without which even the constitution cannot fully function. It enables governments to turn campaign promises articulated as policies into concrete public services that seek to improve the overall living standard of the people. That is why it remains the most critical socio-economic policy tool that outlines the government's priorities in financial terms. The extent to which the government's proposed spending sticks to what it has projected as realistic revenue makes a budget credible. Therefore, it also becomes a measurement of government's sincerity and capacity to deliver on campaign promises. More importantly, the credibility of any budget depends on its realism, as you cannot spend what you cannot get. That means for a budget to be realistic it has to be substantially achievable. However, politicians are always under pressure to spend more, most times overshooting ...

TRIBUTE: Dr Bala Takaya 1930 - 2018

Bala John Takaya (2nd Left) at a function recently By Nasiru Jagaba Again, with rude shock, death has come upon us in the early hours of Sunday, 27th May, 2018. It is with deepest regret that the Middle Belt Youth Wing of Middle Belt Forum mourns the death of our President, Father, Mentor, and a tireless advocate of equity, fairness and justice, Dr Bala John Takaya, the President of Middle Belt Forum has silently closed the door of life and departed from us, never to return. 68 years old Takaya, an unparalleled University Senior Lecturer, a distinct politician who served as the Secretary to State Government of the old Gongola State, a member of the 1987 Political Bureau. On the fight to restore democratic system of governance, he worked hand in hand with Chief Solomon Lar. Also, in 1999 he was the governorship candidate of the All People’s Party, APP later ANPP. He is much esteemed in the community of Middle Belt and generally recognized as on...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog