CAN urges govt. to end continuous killings in Southern Kaduna

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday called on the State and Federal Governments to do more to stop the continuous wastage of lives and property in Kaduna State.

The President, CAN, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, who made the call in a statement in Abuja, urged Gov. Nasiru El Rufai not to allow the crisis in the state to linger.

Ayokunle, who called for a stop to accusations and counter-accusations between the government and other stakeholders over the killings in Southern Kaduna stressed the need for a roundtable to solve the problem.

“Our coming here is not to place accusation against anyone concerning the crisis nor is it to say that the government of the day has not done anything to stop the continuous killings.

“It is rather to say that the present best of the government and the security agents are not good enough. It would be enough and praiseworthy when the killings stop.

“Every provocative statement over the matter should be avoided. Everybody is looking at the governor as a father of the state and this is the understanding with which he should handle every accusing finger pointed at him.

“Your office is like that of the dung where all kinds of rubbish are dumped. When you were not in charge of the governance of the state, nobody was pointing accusing finger at you,” he said.

The CAN President said that no bandit, gunman or cattle rustler should be allowed to strike and disappear into the thin air any longer without being pursued to his or her base for apprehension and prosecution.

“The guns in the hands of criminals should be recovered. Bushes should be combed through surveillance, to do this technology should be deployed extensively by the security agents to apprehend the criminals in their hideouts.

“All sources of ammunition the bandits and killers are using should be investigated and blocked.
“Community healing, forgiveness and reconciliatory meetings should be held, bringing different ethnic groups in communities together to chart the way forward for peace.

“Your government should further strengthen the State Emergency Management Agency and the Kaduna State Peace Commission for the development and rebuilding of Southern Kaduna and other crises ridden areas.

“A commission should be set up to cater for many orphans, widows and widowers whose future had been put in jeopardy as a result of the killings of their breadwinners.

“It is apparent that killings are noticed on both sides. Nonetheless, an increase in security forces be deployed to the troubled spots until lasting peace is restored,” he said.

Ayokunle, however, hoped and prayed that all the above would be looked into as our own way of contributing to peace building in Southern Kaduna, and of course, the entire state.

“You can count on us to always pray for you to nip this ugly situation of continuous bloodletting in the bud in Kaduna State,” he added.