Kaduna: El-Rufai never met with late monarch ― Dep gov

CONCERNED Christian leaders in the Kaduna state government has debunked the insinuation making the round that the State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had met with the late Agom Adara, Maiwada Adara before he was abducted and subsequently killed by his abductors.

This was contained in a statement issued to the press on Thursday and signed by the state deputy governor, Yusuf Bala Bantex.

The statement averred that: “Agom Adara was not coming from or going to a meeting with the Governor or any official of the Kaduna State Government on the day of his abduction.”

Instead, the statement averred that the government and the security agencies tried their best to secure the release of the monarch from the abductors.

“HRH Agom Adara was respected for his dedication and commitment to leading his chiefdom well. There was no contention or dispute between the Kaduna State Government and the late chief on the issue of chiefdom or emirates.

“We are not aware of any Islamisation agenda, and we urge those who mouth its existence to cease and desist from this despicable bogeyman allegation, which also constitutes a most unfair insult to everyone in the leadership of the Kaduna State Government.

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“Mrs Victoria Galadima, the wife of the late royal father, was appointed Permanent Secretary by the current government before her retirement.

“Curfews are applied whenever the risk of a security breakdown becomes too severe. The duration of a curfew is dictated by the magnitude of the security challenge.

“A curfew inconveniences everyone in the affected area, but it is better than the alternative of killings and destruction. In the 2016/early 2017 period of violent conflict in parts of the southern Kaduna senatorial district, the Kaduna State Government at times had to impose 24-hour curfews on the flashpoint communities.

“Criminals have inflicted pains and losses on many of our citizens through kidnapping and banditry. This is a security challenge that the state government has been working to resolve. It is most unfortunate and improper to blame the despicable actions of criminals on religion or insinuate government involvement.

“At least one of the videos to which we refer features the pastor hinting at ties to a party to some of the criminal activity that happened during the Kaduna unrest. It is within the province of the security agencies to interrogate this.

“As political office holders who are also Christians, we welcome the intervention of Christian leaders like the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna and the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State in advancing peace. Security issues should not be invested with unnecessary religious colouration. Crime and its consequences imperil everyone!

“We condemn without hesitation the irresponsible utterances and conduct of persons who disgrace the very notion of priesthood. Christianity obliges us to the finest standards of conduct, propelled by our faith in God and His abiding grace.

“Christians are enjoined by our faith to strive to live up to the standards of compassion and tolerance to which we are commanded by Christ’s example in the Sermon on the Mount.

“We are admonished as Christians to speak only of the things of which we are certain. St. Paul reminded us in 1st Thessalonians 5:21 to Examine Everything, and hold fast to that which is good. Ignorant commentary on government policy is as rascally and repugnant as weaving false narratives to create the impression of victimhood.

“The attempt to paint the Kaduna State Government and its leadership in religious garbs must stop. It is a government within which we as Christians proudly serve, and which makes its decisions guided only by the oath of office to which we have all sworn and the constitution.

“Enough is enough of this reckless misuse of the apostolic mandate. Pastors have a mission to promote peace, bring people together, and motivate them to better follow the example of Jesus Christ.

“The reckless rhetoric from some pastors reminds decent people of the unfortunate involvement of pastors in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.