S/Kaduna: We need peace not blame game, Group insists

Wed, Sep 2, 2020
By editor
3 MIN READ

Politics

SOUTHERN Kaduna Peace Practitioners (SOKIPEP), has warned stakeholders against any inflammatory statements, advising that any action capable of jeopardising the ongoing peace process must not be given attention.

The group gave the advice in a statement on Wednesday by the National Coordinator, Rev. Dauda Fadia.

Fadia said the appeal came against the backdrop of the statement credited to Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, (SOKAPU), its umbrella body laying claims to some communities, local councils as well as dominance in population in Southern Kaduna.

The group which said its assertion was “based on the  2006 census population figures” also claimed that “out of 46,000 sq km, Southern Kaduna covers 26,000sqkm and has 57 registered ethnic nationalities, out of the 67 identified ones.”

Fadia said that SOKIPEP, an indigenous Southern Kaduna

peacebuilding organisation faulted SOKAPU’s position, saying such was out of point, at the moment, given the fragile peace in the area.

He said while it appreciated its umbrella body for trying to go down history lane, such development could throw up ethno-religious passion, thus drawing the ongoing peace process backward.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, (SOKAPU), our umbrella body in Southern Kaduna, in some national dailies and the social media, where it referred to itself as “indigenous owners of Southern Kaduna.

“In the said statement, released after its Central Executive Committee meeting with the Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in Jos, Plateau State at the weekend, SOKAPU reportedly laid claims not only to some communities and population figures in Kaduna State but also declared dominance in some council areas.

“We read the story imputing these claims with utter dismay and disappointment gave that as our umbrella body, SOKAPU should have known the better way to present our case during its meeting.

“Than trying to lay bare issues that could throw up public debates, thus inflame religious and ethnic passions, the resultant effect of which could be the frustration of the peace efforts being driven by the military and other stakeholders.

“As a body of Southern Kaduna indigenes actively involved in the peace process, we wish to state that in as much as we appreciate SOKAPU for not only taking that bold initiative to present some issues responsible for the crises in Southern Kaduna, we wish to unequivocally state without fear, favour or sentiment that these issues which we deem capable of drawing ethnic and religious attention were unnecessary.

“To state the obvious, the claims coming at a time the Nigerian Military and other organisations are already at its last stage of concluding the ongoing peacebuilding process it is spearheading is not only unwarranted but also unfortunate and counterproductive in the current peace efforts going on Southern Kaduna.

“We, therefore, call on all people of good conscience to ignore the said statement in its entirety as it did not get the endorsement of peace-loving and well-meaning southern Kaduna People,” he said. (NAN)

– Sept. 2 2020 @ 15:45 GMT |

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