*Hails OPSH for prompt response,arrest of suspects
*Tells SOKAPU to engage youths on peace advocacy
*Assist Gov el-Rufai's peace enthronement measures
The Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners' Network,SOKIPEP, has flayed the renewed attacks in Atyap Kataf Chiefdom of Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State which resulted in the death of a 22 year old pastoralist,identified as Ado Hassan Fada and the poisoning of cows in the area.
The peace advocacy group said the isolated attacks, killings and poisoning of cows at a time stakeholders had worked painstakingly to restore peace and harmony in the entire Southern Kaduna area was unfortunate.
In a statement it issued Monday,in reaction to the killing of the 22-year old pastoralist on Sunday, the group while describing the development as senseless,asked the people of the area to give peace a chance.
In the statement signed by its national coordinator, Rev. Dauda Fadia, SOKIPEP charged the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, to begin to engage youths of the area in peace advocacy with a view to enthroning lasting peace.
It equally tasked SOKAPU to begin to think of ways of assisting the state governor, Nasir el-Rufai on his peace advocacy measures so that total peace can be brought back, saying their continuous attacks on the governor and his government's policies and programmes without fashioning out reasonable alternatives
was a wrong approach.
It, however, commended Operation Safe Haven, the special military task force responsible for restoration of peace in the area for prompt response to the situation, evacuation of the victim as well as arrest of suspected culprits.
While charging the security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the criminal activities in the area, the peace advocacy group commended the families of the victims for not taking laws into their hands.
It charged them to remain calm, resolute and have faith in the ability of security agencies to deliver to their constitutional mandate of seeking justice for people unjustly treated just as it expressed optimism that those responsible would not go free.
SOKIPEP also thanked the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, for its prompt intervention in the matter, saying the organisation's appeal to members to remain calm and allow security agencies do their work diligently, averted reprisals which action it noted, would have been disastrous.
It said the professionalism exhibited by men of the OPSH saved the day as according to it,any contrary action would have had catastrophic effect on the lives of the people of the area.
"As a peace advocacy group in Southern Kaduna, we wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the inhuman and barbaric killings of a pastoralist on Sunday in Atyap Kataf Chiefdom of Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
" The killing of the pastoralist, a 22 year old identified as Ado Hassan Fada and the poisoning of cows in the area at a time the people were beginning the reap the painstaking efforts of stakeholders who worked enthronement of peace in the area was unfortunate.
"We are surprised that some people are still bent on ensuring that the people return to taking up arms against one another! These merchants of crises would not allow peace reign in our dear area. This is condemnable.
"We wish to say that these retrogressive and anti- peace acts are highly condemnable and must not be allowed to thrive
" We call on the security agencies to fish out these criminals and make them face the full wrath of the law of our land,"they said.
The group further said:"We believe strongly that the misguided youths who carried out this wicked act of renewed attacks, killing of the pastoralist and the poisoning of cows were sponsored by some blood-tasty fifth columnists who were benefiting from the age- long crises that have now been resolved due to the concerted efforts of the federal government, Governor Nasir el-Rufai, Operation Safe Haven and other critical stakeholders.
"We believe this progress made in the peace efforts in the area has put these supposed sponsors out of business since their business thrive only during crisis and war times hence their desperate efforts to revive it."
"We advise that, the entire good people of Southern Kaduna must come together to reject these evil and crisis merchants once and for all."
It added that:"We wish to call on our umbrella union, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU,to begin to engage our youths in peace advocacy with a view to enthroning lasting peace in our land. "
"As peace practitioners, we must speak the truth because only truth, justice, and equality can guarantee peace and stability, this we must do no matter who is involved or hurt."
"Our elders and cultural organizations must carry out community advocacy and enlightenment targeted at our youths in Southern Kaduna, so that they can stop taking laws into their hands thereby endangering the lives of other innocent and peace loving people of Southern Kaduna,"it charged.
It reiterated:"We wish to also call on SOKAPU to support the peace efforts of our state government led by Governor Nasir el-Rufai so that meaningful progress can be made."
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