THE Southern Kaduna caucus in the House of Representatives on Wednesday called for the Federal Government’s intervention in identifying and halting the financiers and members of the militia groups involved in the indiscriminate killings and kidnapping of innocent Nigerians, including children and women.
The lawmakers, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, however, expressed displeasure over the laxity of the present administration to the protection lives and properties in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
They also raised the alarm over a grand plan by the militia to launch another massive and coordinated attack on Southern Kaduna after the Sallah break. Speaking earlier, the caucus leader, Honourable Gwani, who delivered the position of the caucus, condemned, in strong terms, the barbaric acts against Southern Kaduna residents, as he frowned on the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards securing the lives and property of the people in the affected areas over the years.
In his intervention, Honourable Shehu Garba noted that: “The situation in Southern Kaduna has taken a pattern that is predictable and we are saying that as a government, we must have the capacity. If A and B have a quarrel, they should settle it through the rule of law by going to court, going to the police and let the police prosecute.
“But in a situation where you avoid that civilised channel of settling row and you go and there is militia, nobody can deny that. We have militia and we are saying why is it taking the government so long to fish out those militia?” Garba, who expressed support for devolution of the current policing system in Nigeria, stressed the need to adopt state/community policing through legislative instrument that will clearly define the roles of both federal and state police.
On his part, the Minority Whip, Honourable Gideon Gwani, who observed that these attacks are still going on, added that “we also have information that they are going to attack massively in Southern Kaduna after the Sallah break.
“We are calling on our people to be vigilant and asking them to do all they can to keep themselves alive.” While responding to question of how to avert a situation where people will resort to self-help, Honourable Amos Gwamna Magaji urged the Federal Government to set necessary machineries in motion to forestall breakdown of law and order in the state.
In his remarks, Honourable Muktar Zakari Chawai noted that four local government areas are currently placed under curfew as a result of clashes, adding that the security agencies are pressed thin apart from other challenges they are addressing across the country.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then