Southern Kaduna crisis: MURIC urges FG to deploy security task force

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), an NGO, has called for the deployment of joint security task force to stop the incessant killings in Southern Kaduna.

The Director of the group, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, gave the advice on Monday in a statement.

Akintola said, the measures will go along way in curtailing the ethno-religious killings and other forms of criminality been perpetuated in the area.

The group however condemned the recent killings of some youths in Zangon Kataf, which according to him violated the peace agreement initiated by the Agwa Atyap, Sir Dominic Yahaya between the Atyap and Hausa/Fulani.

“MURIC strongly condemns these killings and attacks on law-abiding Muslims. We call for stronger presence of security agents.

”It is high time soldiers are drafted to Southern Kaduna to enforce law and order.

”We advocate long term military presence until the inhabitants of Southern Kaduna learn how to peacefully coexist,” he said.

He said, the group was formed to promote peace and dialogue.

”As an organization whose motto is ‘Dialogue, No Violence’, we frown at violence in all its ramifications.

”We are fully committed to a peaceful approach to the Southern Kaduna crisis, we therefore call on both parties to sheath their swords,” he said.

It was reported that vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Aug. 28, assured that the Federal Government will not sweep the major issues underlying the conflict in Southern Kaduna under the carpet so as to effectively deal with the situation.

Osinbajo stated this during the virtual Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Annual General Conference.

The Vice President identified the major issues to include, ‘ensuring justice, fixing economic marginalization and the prosecution of persons responsible for these killings, this is to ensure that the impunity doesn’t worsen.”

On the way out, he stated: “I have been involved since 2001, through the work of the Macedonian initiative, an NGO that focused on providing relief materials to displaced persons.

”There have been judicial commissions and all sorts, but the problem remains. So, there is the need to address the underlying issues.

The fact is that we must prosecute persons responsible for these killings. The mindless, callous killings in Southern Kaduna are heartbreaking. And again, we must condole those who have lost loved ones and those injured or who have suffered loss of property. “These tragedies are unacceptable and they are avoidable.”

It was also reported that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) deployed additional special forces to southern Kaduna, to boost the ongoing fight against bandits and suspected ethnic militia who have been terrorising residents of the area.

The Air Officer Commanding, NAF Training Command, Air Marshal Musa Mukhtar, asked the team of security operatives, numbering 32 and trained in all aspects of counter-insurgency operations, to crush the bandits.

The deployment of additional troops comes as the military steps up operation to combat the rising cases of attacks by bandits and suspected ethnic militia in the area.

Also, on Aug. 14, the military deployed Special Operations Forces to curb the recent attacks and isolated killings in the southern part of Kaduna State.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, said that troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) had continued to intensify efforts aimed at securing lives and property in the area.

He said: “Particularly, Special Operations Forces have been deployed to the Joint Operations Area covering the various flash points.”

“This move is expected to achieve the desired result with the provision of credible and actionable intelligence specifically from primary sources.”