THE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said it is deeply pained by the recent unwarranted killings of innocent lives and destruction of property of some Fulani settlements in Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
This was contained in a statement issued to the press on Sunday and signed by the National publicity secretary of ACF, Alh Muhammad Ibrahim Biu.
The statement noted that “the heinous acts by the gunmen or bandits were callous and inhuman, considering the number of casualties.
”Killing of innocent people for whatever reasons cannot in any way address the perceived concerns or grievances of the perpetrators of these crimes.
ACF would not be tired of appealing to all aggrieved persons to always channel their grievances through due process of law rather than taking the law into their hands.
”This is because both the attacks and reprisals are often targeted at innocent people who know nothing about the feuds.
‘’ACF condemns such spate of killings of innocent people by armed bandits and gunmen, not only in Kaduna State but also in some other parts of the country.
”The forum, therefore, calls on the Security Agencies to always be proactive in their operations in order to avert such incidence.
‘’Furthermore, perpetrators of this dastardly acts must be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others. The issue of intelligence gathering and sharing should be a continuous and sustained effort by both the communities and the security agencies to ensure peaceful coexistence within the communities.
‘’This is because peaceful coexistence is sine qua non to meaningful socio-economic development.
ACF equally condemns the Boko Haram suicide attack on some worshippers in a mosque at the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State capital, where innocent lives were killed, also on the eve of the postponed elections.
“These killings on the eve of elections by some armed bandits may be to scare the electorates and also derail our democratic process by the sect.
“ACF, therefore, calls on Nigerians not to be deterred by such intimidation and coward acts of the perpetrators of these crimes.
“Nigerians should be resolute and united in the enthronement of a democratic system of government that will provide social justice, good governance and equal opportunity to all.
“ACF extends her condolences to the affected communities of Kajuru Local Government Area, the Government and good people of Kaduna State, the Government and good people of Borno State as well as the families of those affected by the unfortunate incidences.
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