Rescue us from this genocide, Southern Kaduna elders tell FG

The Southern Kaduna Elders Consultative Forum (SKECF) has appealed to the Kaduna and federal governments to put an end to the “ongoing genocide” in the state.

In a statement entitled ‘Enough of this genocide in southern Kaduna’, Zamani Lekwat, chairman of SKECF and Peter Buba, the secretary, said the killings allegedly perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen call for concern.

“The sudden turn of events where herdsmen have abandoned this long mutually-beneficial relationship, by taking up arms against their host communities is giving us a serious cause for concern,” the statement read.

“The people have been displaced from their homes, their farms destroyed and occupied by armed herdsmen.

“The Southern Kaduna Elders Consultative Forum notes with sadness the destruction of lives and properties last night at Pasakori, a community in Jema’a Local Government Area.

“Coming less than two weeks after the destruction of property and massacre of over 40 lives in Godogodo, has made it mandatory for us to cry out aloud to the Kaduna state and the federal governments to take decisive action to bring this genocide to an end.

“The Elders Forum commends previous actions taken by our Representatives in the National and State Houses of Assemblies and the leadership of SOKAPU (Southern Kaduna People’s Union) in drawing the attention of the authorities and Nigerians in general to these coordinated attacks on the peace-loving people of Southern Kaduna.

“While we acknowledge the previous efforts of the security agencies in containing these persistent attacks, we however, appeal to them to be more proactive, more professional and more committed in the discharge of their duties, to accomplish the mission.

“A situation where none of the attackers has ever been arrested has created suspicion in the minds of the people.

“It is in the interest of peace that we call on the Kaduna state and federal governments to urgently intervene to put an end to the ongoing genocide and direct all security agencies to be more proactive and be seen to be committed without bias, in order to restore confidence in the minds of the victims.”