Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners, (SOKIPEP) has condemned the recent killings and kidnapping in the Southern Kaduna.
SOKIPEP National Coordinator Rev Dauda Fadia, in a statement, said on the crisis that he was ‘saddened by these mindless attacks coming particularly at a time genuine peace is gradually returning to the area.’
His full statement reads:
‘We condemn in the strongest term the barbaric and senseless attack on Manyi Mashi Community of Zango Kataf Local Government Area which claimed the lives of two elderly people by a group of suspected criminals on Friday 11 Sept 2020.
‘We are saddened by this mindless attack at a time when genuine peace is gradually returning to the area.
‘The attack under any guise is highly condemnable and retrogressive, people of goodwill from the Hausa, Fulani and Atyap communities must work together to defeat these criminals who are bent on taking us back to dark days for their selfish and ego benefits.
‘One fact is necessary to end this prolonged crisis and it is that every tribe and religion have criminal elements who are conflict merchants and benefits heavily from it. Until we all rise to this occasion and expose these elements amongst us, lasting peace will continue to elude us. If we fail to act now, our generation would definitely pay for our actions or inaction.
‘We want to profoundly commend the efforts of the officers and men of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), the special military task force in-charge of four Local Government Areas in Southern Kaduna over the cheering news of their quick response and arrest of some suspects over the attack.
‘This is highly commendable and should be sustained. If people know that they can’t get away with crimes, they will definitely have a second thought and it will also curtail reprisal attacks. We are sincerely pleased.
‘We call on all the peace-loving people of Southern Kaduna not to be deterred by these skirmishes. This is the handwork of certain criminal elements amongst us to frustrate the peace process being spearheaded by Operation Safe Haven. Our people must resist it and continue to work closely with the special military task force and other stakeholders to sustain the already achieved peace.’