'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

Expert advocates for prudence and and accountability in Treasury Management

By EDDY OCHIGBO L ack of efficient and prudent treasury management in the country have been identified as the source of fraud and sharp practices in nation's public and private sector. Dropping the hint during a breakfast meeting with Correspondents in Kaduna during the week, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Treasury Management of Nigeria, Mr Adedoyin Olumide, reiterated that poor treasury management remains the bane of public and private finance utilization in the country, calling for greater synergy among all professionals in accounting, banking and finance. He disclosed 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 ...

NIGERIA: Need for more transparency in Education

Pupils in a class without facilities A seasoned governance and human development expert, Dr Otive Igbuzor has identified lack of monitoring, accountability and transparency in the system, as the major factors militating against the progress of the nation's waning education sector and called for a holistic and well-thought-out approach to reverse the trend. Igbuzor who made this known at a one-day parley with Correspondents and Media Executives in Kaduna Nigeria, spoke extensively on the root causes of corruption, the need for probity in the education sector, budget analysis as well as education as key to human development. The one-day sensitization program put together by Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW/LEADS) alongside Mac Arthur Foundation, harped on 'enhancing reportage on Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects in the state as well as Public Procurement Process in the sector' to strengthen accountability and transparency in the...

Anniversary Feature: A Toast for Nigeria @ 59

By Yusuf Goje T he fundamental difference between dictatorship and a liberal democracy is the existence of the legislative arm in the latter. The legislative arm empowers the people via direct representation of their elected legislators to amplify and reflect their voices (needs) in decision-making process; such as in law-making, appropriation and other national or state issues. It is envisaged that the legislative arm either at the Federal or State level should be the closest link between the people and government. As the legislators are expected to regularly consult their constituents on legislative issues to be tabled and provide feedback on the resolutions reached at the Assembly. In view of the foregoing, Nigeria which practice a Federating system with the States as component units has seen section 90 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria establish the House of Assembly of a State; while section 100 provides for the mode of ex...

PERL trains Planning Officers, Citizens on Accountability, Service Delivery

As Stakeholders review 2022 Local Government Draft Budget Cross-section of participants at the engagement during a session By EDDY OCHIGBO, Kaduna I n its sustained drive to enhance accountability and seamless service delivery at the local government level in Kaduna state, Partnership to Engage and Learn in collaboration with Local Government Accountability Mechanism (LGAM), on Monday October 25, 2021, organized a two-day technical session to increase the capacity and technical expertise of citizen groups and planning officers in the state. To this end, the Local Government Accountability Mechanism (LGAM), a collaborative initiative of the Ministry for Local Government Affairs, Civil Society partners and Partnership to Engage, Reform & Learn (PERL/FCDO), working as technical working groups to strengthen governance at the grassroots, have reviewed the Kaduna state 2022 budget with trend analysis, observations and recommendations. The review of the ₦1,134,051...

Cubinks NEWS

Search This Blog