Senate to Investigate Southern Kaduna killings

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Senate has resolved to carry out thorough investigation on killings that recently took place in Southern Kaduna which claimed over 800 lives.

This was just as it condemned in strong terms, the senseless killings, allegedly carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen on indigenes of the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District.

In a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma La’ah, (PDP Kaduna South) the Senate noted that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna Senatorial District of Kaduna State have been consistently attacked by herdsmen, resulting in deaths, injuries, loss of properties and displacement of the communities.

He said since the 23rd of December, 2016, communities of Ambam, Gaska, Dangoma, Tsonje, Pasankori, Gidan Waya and Farin Gada of Iama’a and Kaura Local Government Area have been under serious attack by the herdsmen, resulting in several deaths, injuries, as well as wanton destruction of properties worth billions of naira.

He said: “The killings of citizens of Southern Kaduna amount to serious violations of the right to life, right to security of human persons, right to the respect of the dignity inherent in human being and right to property not only guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as Amended, but also of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the international convention on Civil and Political Right which Nigeria is a party.

“A total number of eight hundred and eight (808) persons were killed in 53 villages across the four Local Government Areas in the affected areas, while 57 people were injured, farm produces estimated at N5.5billion were destroyed and a total of 1, 422 houses and 16 churches were burnt during the attack.

“In the last one year, we have witnessed a harvest of killings by these marauding herdsmen with several cases of massacre in Agatu in Benue State, Uzo Uwani in Enugu State, with several attacks in Taraba, Delta and Edo States to mention but a few.”

The motion however couldn’t be debated following a recommendation by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu that it shouldn’t so as to avoid bad blood.

Saraki in his earlier remarks on the crisis, said: “While we have our attention on the economy and are working with sweat on our brows to improve it for the betterment of our people, we cannot lose sight of the callous and growing circle of violence across the country, especially now in southern Kaduna.

“We condemn in totality to depravity being exhibited on the streets of Kafanchan. This Senate will not pay lip service to it neither will it sit idly by and watch innocent Nigerians being slaughtered on the basis of their religion, ethnic group or political persuasion. No, we will not stand aloof.

“Let me therefore; use this opportunity to call on the leadership in the state to use its authority and constitutional mandate to bring to immediate halt the growing orgy of violence that has enveloped Southern Kaduna. This new theatre of conflict is one too many and must be nipped in the bud.

“We will ensure a thorough investigation is carried out to unravel the issues and advise government appropriately on the matter in order to ensure that all those found culpable are severely dealt with irrespective of who may be behind them.

“This will ensure there is no repeat of this madness and assure the people of Kaduna that injustice and impunity will not be allowed to triumph over our collective will to maintain our national unity and coherence.”

The Ad-hoc committee is however yet to be constituted.