From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has lamented over the continued attacks and killings in the Christian dominated Southern Kaduna part of Kaduna State in which over 38 persons have been killed in recent times.
The association also enjoined the Mbasombo and Mbaivur communities people of Masev in Gwer local government area of the state to immediate cease hostilities against themselves.
State CAN Chairman, Rev. Akpen Leva, who made the call in a statement on Sunday expressed worry over what he described as the coordinated Southern Kaduna killing which he noted was targeted mostly on Christians.
Leva in the statement signed by his media aide, Mr. Samuel Tyav, called on the federal government to come up with concrete measures that would bring lasting peace in the area.
“The killings in Southern Kaduna is coordinated and targeted at the Christian dominated part of the state. I call on the federal government to come up with measures aimed at bringing lasting peace to the area”.
Rev. Leva also regretted the massive destruction of lives and property caused by crises in the affected communities in various parts of the state and country in general, even as he advised youths against allowing themselves to be used as ready tools in the hands of wicked people to cause violence in the areas.
While maintaining that crisis and rancour cannot never bring development to any area, the state CAN boss emphasized on the need for elites in the warring communities and stakeholders to intervene, stressing that there is no problem that cannot be solved through dialogue.
Leva also decried the renewed killings of the people of Benue state by suspected armed Fulani terrorists especially in the Turan communities of Kwande local government, even as he appealed to youths in Sankera axis of the state to embrace peace and shun all forms of violence to attract development to their areas.
While calling on of the state to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies for necessary action, the CAN Chairman appealed to politicians in the state to avoid all forms of acrimony in their electioneering campaigns, but play politics according to the rules.
He warned that any form of animosity could degenerate into violence, retard the society and result to underdevelopment.