Southern Kaduna: Northern Christian youths commend Buratai, el-Rufai on peace initiative

THE Northern Christian Youths Assembly has commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, for laying the foundation of building a military barracks in Kafanchan in Southern Kaduna, which according to them will help reduce the crisis between herdsmen and the communities.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the National Chairman of the Assembly, Peter Bawa, also commended the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for the peace initiative he brought about to end the Southern Kaduna crisis.

According to him “the Northern Christian Youth Assembly is pleased to commend the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai for laying the foundation for the building of a military barracks in Kafanchan in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State in a development that we know would go a long way to curtail the menace of marauding killers that have plunged too many communities in the area into mourning.

We see the building of a military formation in the area as a way of shortening troops’ deployment time and ensuring that troublemakers within that vicinity shorteniare given a hot chase and no longer have anywhere to torment the peace of the people.

“For us, General Buratai’s prompt implementation of the barracks project as approved by the President and Commander in Chief is a demonstration of the administration’s sincere commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property of all citizens irrespective of political or religious leanings.

“While we remain confident in the ability of the Nigerian Army, which is one of the best in the world to bring perpetrators of all the deadly attacks around that vicinity to justice within the shortest period of time, the subsequent completion of the barracks would further boost the confidence of the people in the neighbourhood in the military of their country.

“Those politicising and attempting to give the Southern Kaduna crisis a religious coloration would do well to now hold their fire and allow the mechanisms for peaceful resolution put in place by the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to yield fruits for the overall benefit of the Nigerian state.

Speaking further, Bawa said “we commend Governor el-Rufai for these initiatives even as we appeal to him not to be discouraged by seeming misunderstanding of his good intentions for the people of Kaduna State.”

He urged the Nigerian Army not to hesitate in arresting and investigating anyone linked to arming any side of the conflict irrespective of their status in the society or religious affiliation.

“In addition, we appeal to the Federal Government not to allow anyone fished out as being culpable in the attacks to escape justice irrespective of what roles they had played or are playing in the government.

“Nigerians would like to hear the last of these senseless killings so that citizens, especially those engaged in agriculture, can go back to earning their livelihood while making valuable contributions to the economy at this time when the country is pursuing diversification,” he added.