Africa
MR Francis Sani, Chairman, Zangon Kataf Local Government in Kaduna State, says the council is working with community stakeholders to address renewed attacks on residents.
Sani, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zonkwa on Tuesday, said that the move was necessary to end the killings and create the right atmosphere for development to flourish.
He explained that the council was working with community structures like the community development associations, religious and community leaders to find local solutions to the security challenges.
He said that the lingering insecurity had brought all development initiatives to a standstill.
“The situation has drastically affected agricultural production; people no longer go to the farm for fear of being killed.
“Just two weeks ago, some people were killed in their farmlands. Not in their houses. In their farmlands with hoes in their hands.
“Houses are being destroyed, food reserves burnt, agricultural activities brought to abrupt halt. Intergroup relations tainted with suspicion.
“Wherever there is no peace, wherever there is insecurity, there is no way such a community will develop.
“That is why we need to strengthen our efforts as the governance structure at the local level. We need to work with community members and their leaders to find local solutions to our collective problem,” he said.
The council chairman lamented that resources that would have been injected into development activities were being channeled into addressing the fallouts of the crises.
He said that there were currently more than 20 survivors of the attacks receiving treatment at Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital, Kafanchan and Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos.
According to him, the victims are in dire need of help.
He said that those whose houses and food were destroyed by the attackers also required some help to rebuild their lives, urging the state and federal government to come to their aid.
“We are doing the best we can, but we cannot do it alone. We need help. We need peace and stability so that we can develop as a people,” the chairman said.
NAN recalls that the Atyap Community Development Association, on May 1, organised a press conference where it called on the government and the international community to come to their aid.
The Youth Wing of the association also trekked from various communities to the Local Government Secretariat in Zonkwa, on May 2, to protest the unabated killings.
The youths, cladded in black, called on relevant authorities to stop the killings. (NAN)
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Tags: MR Francis Sani Zangon Kataf Local Government Zonkwa
