From Amos Tauna, Kaduna
It was celebration galore as their own, the Katunku Foundation visited the Mercy camp, venue where most of the victims of Zangon Kataf crisis run to take shelter following the attacks on their villages by suspected Fulani militias resulting to the loss of lives and destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
Brigadier General Katunku Simon Gora rtd, the chairman of the foundation said, “l almost shed tears seeing the condition my people have found themselves but as a believer, l prayed that our people never in future witnesse this calamity but for the peace of the Almighty to continue to be their portion all through.”
General Katunku admitted, “Efforts should be made by the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa of Zangon Kataf to sustain the peace initiative championed by the Atyap monarch, Sir Dominic Gambo Yahaya, the Agwatyap in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna state for peace, unity and sustainable development in the area.
Recall that crisis erupted in Zangon Kataf following the alleged killing of a farmer in a farmland on the 10th June, 2020 thereby resulted to the loss of lives and destruction of properties within and other parts of Southern Kaduna.
General Katunku made his observation while donating foodstuffs and cash to the Internally Displaced Persons at Mercy camp, Zonkwa.
He enjoined both parties to the crisis to effectively use the peace initiative brought about by the Agwatyap, Sir Dominic Yahaya as a way towards making a formidable relationship for the maintenance and sustenance of peaceful coexistence in the area, Southern Kaduna and the state as a whole.
According to him, “l am really touched to see women and children in the camp living in a begging form. This is what our people are not known with, but the Atyap man has always live a contented person. However, they should take the present situation they have found themselves as an art of the Almighty.”
He noted that the presence of security agencies in the area is to ensure there is calm among the various ethnic groups and ensure people go about their normal lives without any problem.
General Katunku added, “The Agwatyap in his wisdom came up with a very good initiative by bringing the various stakeholders together through dialogue and round table discussion for better understanding in order to cement a good relationship among the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa for cordial and a harmonious future in the Chiefdom and Southern Kaduna as a whole.”
Earlier, the coordinator of the displaced persons, Rev. Gambo Waziri, thanked God Almighty for His faithfulness, stressing that the camp came about as a child of necessity having seen what mostly women and children were going through when their villages were attacked by suspected Fulani militias.
He said himself and others who gave themselves to cater for the victims of the crisis had to look inward to be able to meet the immediate needs of the people.
Rev. Waziri explained that the camp host 3,455 displaced persons, besides others that are staying with relatives in Zonkwa town always come to get what they would feed on.
He added that the camp had 58 pregnant women, 6 (six) have given birth but noted thattwo of the new born babies died.
He thanked people of Southern Kaduna and outsiders for their support and understanding for coming with their support to assist the displaced persons.
