Bomba Dauda
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, SOKAPU, has frowned over rising trend of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the region and Government lackadaisical approach towards the incessant killings that has left many communities vulnerable and thousands of people being killed in the most gruesome manner.
Hon. Jonathan Asake, President of SOKAPU along with his members, visited the Mercy IDP camp yesterday, where 1,154 people are taking refuge in Zonkwa, Zango Kataf Local Government area of Kaduna State and donated relief materials.
Asake lamented that the region have witnessed all sorts of attrocities in the hands of the Fulani Militias ranging from invasions, maiming, burning down of houses and several lives killed in cold blood.
According to him, the life of an ordinary Southern Kaduna person matters, and he urged the administration of Nasir el-Rufai and the Federal Government to find solace in deploying its might to protect lives and properties in the area.
” We said it before, and we’re reiterating it again that genocide and ethnic cleansing is taking place in the Southern Kaduna, and we’re calling on the International Community to come to the rescue of our people.
” It’s was Jema’a, Kaura, Chikun, now Kajuru and Zango Kataf. The IDP presently in Zonkwa is overwhelmed” stressing that about 21 Villages have been abandoned including farmlands which depicts danger on our people,” Asake said.
The National President added that inspite the over one month twenty four hours curfew imposed on the entire local government area, wondered why the killer herdsmen moved in our Villages un-noticed despite security men drafted to the local government to enforce the curfew.
He called on the State Government to be true to her words to be fair to all by protecting lives and property of the citizenry and also ensure it restore normalcy in the area and to ensure the safe return of those displaced from their lands.
Coordinator of the IDP, Reverend Gambo Waziri, disclosed that the IDP camp was set-up haven seeing the plights of the people that were attacked, saying, there is need to help cushion their suffering.
” It has not been easy for us but we thank God for individuals, groups who have shown concern in bringing foods, Mattresses and other items.
” We feel encourage seeing the Umbrella body of SOKAPU here. We have about 15 pregnant Women, 153 nursing mothers and victims who survived the carnage with bullet wounds responding to treatments in some of the hospitals,” Waziri disclosed.
Some of the victims who Narrated their ordeal to our correspondent , appealed to the government to bring the perpetrators to book and to also guarantee their safe return to their villages to continue their normal activities, noting that it is their only means of survival.
It is a high time, God have mercy!