FG to establish military formations in troubled areas

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja and Sola Ojo, Kaduna

kaduna Governor, Nasir el-Rufai said, yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari has backed the 24-hour curfew imposed on three local government areas in Southern Kaduna, as well as other measures to protect lives and properties.

The curfew was imposed on Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a local government areas, just as the State Security Council also endorsed a ban on processions and unlawful assembly in any part of the state to forestall crisis.

On Tuesday, el-Rufai met hundreds of women and youths protesting against alleged killings by Fulani herdsmen in Southern Kaduna.

The women, mostly half clad, and the youths, stormed the council secretariat where the governor was holding a security meeting with the local government officials and traditional chiefs.

In their submissions, the   women alleged that soldiers one and injured many youths in Garajere, after shooting sporadically.

The governor’s convoy was reportedly stoned by the protesters.

But, speaking to State House Correspondents, yesterday, after a closed-door meeting with the president which lasted for over an hour, el-Rufai said all hands are on deck to restore peace in the state.

“I came to brief the president about the situation in Southern Kaduna in the last few days and outlined to him measures we have been taking, as a state government, with the support of the Nigerian Army, the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS).

“The president has given us unqualified support to stabilise the state and bring those responsible for the violation of our laws to justice. So, we have the full support of the president to move on and we are confident that things will return to normal very soon.”

On criticisms trailing the state’s decision to extend the curfew to Christmas day, the governor said, “well, we have curfew, even on Christmas day, but, it is for 12 hours. People will be able to get out at 6:00am and be back at 6:00pm; it is because of the security situation.

Meanwhile, to resolve recurrent violent clashes between herdsmen and host communities in Southern Kaduna, the federal government will establish two military formations in the affected areas.

el-Rufai disclosed this during a media chat on Wednesday night in Kaduna.

Scores of people have been killed in the clashes this year alone.

The governor said the state government is discussing the new military formations with Buhari, the Ministry of Defence and Chief of Army Staff.

One military formation would be located in Fadan Karshi, in Sanga Local Government Area and the other in Kauru Local Government Area.

“We are talking with the president, the inister of Defence and the chief of army staff. I will meet with the president on  continuation of the project.

“The presence of these military formations will help in securing lives and properties and provide rapid response to any act of criminality and the maintenance of law and order.”

The governor further disclosed that two other military formations would be established in Birnin Gwari and Kubau Local Government Areas of the state.

To ensure the crisis does not escalate, he said two squadrons of mobile police have been drafted to the area.

“This is part of the state government’s effort to provide adequate security for the people during the Christmas and new- year celebrations,” he added.

The governor linked the rising insecurity in the area with loss of investors.

He said foreign investors, who the goverment agreed to revive a ginger processing plant in Kachia local government and an Australian, who wanted to invest in mining nickel, in Jema’a local government, have withdrawn initial commitments because of violence in the area.

el-Rufai said he is, however, doing his best to assure the investors to return to the state.

The violence in Southern Kaduna took a new turn on Tuesday when angry protesters in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area, on Tuesday stoned Mr. El-Rufai’s convoy and also burnt down the local government chairman’s house.

The protesters accused the governor of taking sides and not doing enough to stop the killings in the area.

Mr. El-Rufai, whose government has called various peace meetings to resolve the crisis, appealed to his supporters not to retaliate and called for peace in the state.