Islamic clerics blame ‘reckless utterances’ for southern Kaduna crisis

The council of Imams and Ulamas in Kaduna state say “reckless utterances of southern Kaduna political and religious leaders” is the cause of the crisis in the southern part of the state.

On December 24, 2016, the Kaduna state government declared a 24-hour curfew Kaura, Zangon-Kataf and Jema’a local government areas owing to the persistent killings going on there.

The curfew has since been relaxed by 12 hours in Kaura and Zangon-Kataf with the exception of Jema’a.

Speaking with journalists on Monday, Abubakar Babantune, chairman of the Islamic clerics, said the southern Kaduna political and religious leaders urged their people to defend themselves.

He said that this has led to the death of Fulani and Hausa people in those LGAs.

“In the last one year or so, Kaduna state has not been in peace resulting from the activities of some mischief makers and the reckless utterances of southern Kaduna political and religious leaders,” he said.

“The council of Imams and Ulamas is most disturbed with the recent events in the southern part of the state in particular the recent demonstration organised by persons who don’t want peace in Kafanchan which led to the merciless killings and destruction of property worth millions of naira.

“To actualize their sentimental zeal by way of making insinuative statements that could destabilize the state, several news report credited to southern Kaduna political and religious leaders urging their people to take arms to defend themselves and nothing was done to prevent its occurrence until the worse had happened.

“Thus, the situation degenerated into the senseless and merciless massacre of hundredth of Hausa/Fulani Muslims in that area.”