Southern Kaduna facing worst situation since Independence – SOKAD-USA

7 years ago

Southern Kaduna facing worst situation since Independence – SOKAD-USA

The people of Southern Kaduna in the diaspora (SOKAD), United States branch has said that their people back home are facing worst time since Nigeria got its independence in 1960.

Among issues raised by the group are the continued detention of Dr John Danfulani and the continuous killing of its kinsmen by suspected Fulani hearsmen.

The group said instead of the government to channel it energy in addressing the killing, tax payers’ money was being used to prosecute Dr John Danfulani for speaking against its policies, despite the fact that a lower court had thrown out such charges.

In a statement titled, “Southern Kaduna, John Danfulani and the Current Political Dispensation,” the group said it met on October 30, 2016, on the plight of its brethren and communities back home.

“This is the worst possible condition that our people have experienced since the modern Nigerian State was formed.

“The repeated massacre of innocent people, including children, women by Fulani herdsmen and their mercenaries and the political persecution of Dr. John Danfulani by the Kaduna state government are among the recent developments that are very troubling and disturbing to us,” the group said.

The statement jointly signed by Aminu Likita, MD, MPH President, Freeman Kamuru, PhD, MD Secretary General, Ibrahim A. Maikori M.Ed Financial Secretary said, “The community of Godogodo in Sanga local government area has been turned into a genocide field where natives and indigenes of the area have been under relentless brutal and barbaric attacks for no other reasons other than being who they are.

“Several weeks ago, Governor El-Rufai visited the area and promised the affected communities and all of southern Kaduna that he would work hard to end these atrocities. The State Security Council met in Kafanchan that week as a demonstration of the commitment of the State to bring lasting peace to the area.

“Sadly, since then, the frequency, severity and intensity of the attacks have all increased with no response from the state government.

“On October 10, 2015, over 40 innocent people were murdered in and around Godogodo and many others were injured.

“To date, no one has been arrested or charged with these heinous crimes. We believe that an ill-informed plan to expand grazing reserves in this part of the state has fueled the barbarism of these terrorists, who have often claimed that the locals were residing in land earmarked for grazing reserves.

“The unwillingness of the state to protect the lives and properties of citizens of southern Kaduna in their homeland suggest that we are actually witnessing the intended consequences of the expansion of grazing reserves in the area.

“The treatment of Dr. John Danfulani by the state, including his unwarranted and illegal detention by agents of the state, underscores what the current regime thinks about our people.

“This gentleman and scholar has had his basic and fundamental civil and human rights violated and denied with impunity.