Kajuru Killings: El-Rufai urges communities to shun reprisals

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai on Wednesday urged all communities in the state to find common ground of resolving conflicts instead of engaging in reprisals.

The governor who visited the IDP camp in Maraban Kajuru, Kajuru Local Government Area on Wednesday, said reprisals only produces more pains and suffering to all.

Our correspondent reports that communities in the local government have been experiencing killings and displacement, with the latest occurring on Monday in which 21 people were confirmed dead in attacks on two villages.

The governor said he was saddened by the recurring killings in the area and urged all communities in the local government to embrace peace, forgiveness and resolve to live as one family.

“What we saw is unfortunate, but we must speak out and tell our people the right thing to be done. An eye for eye is not a solution to the vicious cycles of killings and will complicate and undermine collective efforts.

“Our admonition, is simple. If Fulani or Adara communities have complaints of killings or attacks, they should report and allow security agencies and government to take up the administration of justice.

“If these communities resort to taking the laws into their own hands, it will not work. That is not the solution.”

He added that though “security personnel and assets cannot be in every inch of our state, communities must stop this abnormality of taking the laws into their own hands. It has never worked and will never work.”

El-Rufai also admonished people of the state against false narratives and politicisation of the security challenges “that can be solved with goodwill and law-abiding conduct by all parties.”

“As a government, we will continue to collaborate with security agencies, traditional and religious institutions in peace building, but we will be frank to our communities.

“They have lived peacefully before this mistrust and they can rekindle the glorious past by simply not taking the laws into their own hands and doing away with jungle justice.

“On our own part, we will do our very best in protecting lives and property.

“We will also not shy away from applying the law to anyone found complicit in the violent communal conflicts, irrespective of their status, religion, ethnicity or political persuasions.

“Let us cherish all lives. No life is more precious than another life.”

After receiving briefings from officials of Kajuru local government council and the volunteers managing the IDPs, the governor directed that urgent reassessment of the condition of the displaced persons be undertaken, so that their return to normalcy can be fast-tracked.