Southern Kaduna killings: Stakeholders say Army, Police bias as Kaninkon victims get N5m

The Interim Management Committee Chairman (IMC) Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State, Dr. Bege Katuka, has reiterated his council’s readiness to nip the security challenges bedeviling the area.

He gave the assurance at a Town hall meeting on the need for security in the area.

The Chairman noted that the crises which started in Ninte community between a Fulani herdsman and a native farmer, could have been avoided through communal effort without government interference if only the people had been patient to allow the law to take its course.

He however assured the people that the state government and local government in collaboration with the security agencies were doing everything possible to bring the warring parties together for dialogue geared toward finding a lasting solution.

He disclosed that the curfew imposed in Kafanchan metropolis helped to avoid the spread of the crises.

Katuka appealed to the people to mend fences and live peacefully with one another irrespective of any difference.

He also appealed to the government to deploy more security personnel to the area.

In their separate remarks, the representatives of the Emir of Jema’a, the Chief of Kaninkon and the Chief of Fantswam appealed to the youth in the area to live in mutual respect and understanding amongst themselves for the progress of the society.

Meanwhile, natives of the affected areas have raised N5 million and assorted relief materials for the victims.

The funds and materials were generated through the effort of Kaninkon Elders’ Forum, living within and in diaspora.

The distribution which took place at the Goska Public Primary School, Goska, near Kafanchan, in Jema’a LGA, had in attendance, the Interim Management Chairman of Jema’a LGA, Dr Humble Katuka and a large number of natives from Kaninkon District.

At the occasion, Katuka decried the attitude of soldiers and police deployed to the various communities.

“They have failed in securing us and they have failed to uphold the oath they took when joining their various organisations,” he lamented.

Speaking at the occasion, the National Chairman, Kaninkon Development Association, Mr. Waje Goska William, decried the continued detention of the District Head of Goska, Mr Moses Barde, saying it was against the law.

He said: “After the attacks occurred in our four communities, five more people were attacked and killed in their farms. Government on their own side have shown that all people are not equal before the law.

“This is evident in the sense that, after the attack in Misisi, our traditional leaders were arrested and no Fulani Ardo was arrested even when the attack was against our people and it took place in our community.

“Imagine a community that have being ravaged by suspected Fulani herdsmen but the traditional leader is currently remanded on false allegation of kidnapping of 2 Policemen, conspiracy and terrorism.

“This is injustice against a people and we equally view the arrest of our leaders and their illegal detention in Kaduna Central Prison as an agenda when put into consideration that Barde was held for 21 days and the Police in Kaduna refused to accept the bail application brought forward by his legal counsel.

“Again, after the High Court 3 Kaduna granted our royal father bail, the Police disrespected the bail Order and charged him to court 5 Barnawa, Kaduna and that court remanded him.”

U.S. Military Trains African Armies Ahead of Boko Haram Campaign

Under the glare of the Saharan sun, a U.S. special forces trainer corrects the aim of a Chadian soldier as he takes cover behind a Toyota pick-up and fires at a target with his AK47 — a drill that could soon save his life.

Chad is sending hundreds of troops to fight Boko Haram in neighboring Nigeria as part of a regional offensive against the Islamist group, which killed an estimated 10,000 people last year in a campaign to carve an Islamic emirate from the north of Africa’s largest oil producer.

At the end of the exercise, a U.S. trainer shows the 85 Chadians the paper target peppered with bullet holes – many of them outside the drawing of a gunman. “Not so great,” he says and orders them to do a round of push-ups — in which American, Italian and Belgian trainers all take part, laughing.

The annual ‘Flintlock’ counter-terrorism exercises are a decade-old U.S.-sponsored initiative to bolster African nations’ ability to fight militant groups operating in the vast ungoverned spaces of the Sahara with training.

“Even before the conflict with Boko Haram, we were preparing to face a group like them,” said the commander of the Chadian troops, Captain Zakaria Magada, whose Special Anti-Terrorist Group (SATG) is equipped and trained by the United States.

“Boko Haram is just a militia of civilians. We are an organized army. They cannot face up to us.”

Read More: Reuters