…Commend OPSH over arrest of 5 perpetrators from Both side
…says SOKAPU’s silence may have fueled revenge attack
A Southern Kaduna based peace advocacy group has sued for peace among residents following the gruesome killing of a herder by unknown criminal elements and revenge attacks leading to the death of 6 persons, that have trailed the development.
A herder, identified as Isiyaka Saidu of Ungwan Pah village of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State was killed by unknown persons with deep knives cut on his head on Friday.
Reacting to the incidence, in a statement on Sunday, the group, Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners Network (SOKIPEP),condemned the renewed killings, describing it as a setback to the peace it noted, has been sustained in the area over a long period of time now.
In the statement by its National Coordinator, Rev. Dauda Fadia,SOKIPEP commended Operation Safe Haven, OPSH for prompt arrest of about 5 persons from Both side linked to the dastardly act,tasking the security outfit to ensure that they prosecuted.
The group while condemning the reprisal attacks, faulted the delayed silence of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU on the ugly development, saying the action did not speak well of a group claiming to be seeking peace.
The group tasked communities and residents of Southern Kaduna to always take contentious issues to the security agencies for amicable resolutions instead of resorting to self-help.
The group,while insisting that it was uncomfortable with the decision of SOKAPU to maintain sealed lips over the initial killing of the herder had threatened the fragile peace in the area,tasked the union to speak up with a view to dousing tension.
SOKIPEP,while condoling the families of the deceased in particular and the Southern Kaduna people in general over the action of the criminals, it charged security agencies to immediately track more e culprits ans sponsors and make them face the full wrath of the law for the act.
” We are pained at these killings coming at a time peace and security have to a large extent been restored to Southern Kaduna area,”it said, adding: “While we condemn these wicked acts, we condole with the families, people and government of Kaduna State for the sad incidents.”
“We therefore,call on security agencies to continue to fish out the perpetrators of these heinous acts.
“We wish to clearly state that these ugly incidents must have been carried out by agents of some crisis entrepreneurs whose businesses thrive only during crisis and war,” the group added.
According to SOKIPEP,”Obviously, the sustained peace in Southern Kaduna lately is strange to them and have obviously put them out the job of false propaganda to make money from innocent Southern Kaduna indigenes, hence they resort to using this crude means to instigate farmers and herdsmen conflict.”
SOKIPEP said:”We wish to further state that these attacks were carried out by criminals elements who acted on their own to justify their paymasters’ greed and not a collective Fulani or Southern Kaduna peoples’ agenda.
The group appealed to the waring parties to give peace a chance and allow security agencies do their work.
“We wish to call on our umbrella tribal body, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), to speak out and condemn these killings going on”, it insisted.
