By Lawal A. Dogara,Kaduna
Chief of Kagoro and Leader of Southern Kaduna Traditional Rulers,Chief Ufuwai Bonet today (Friday) shunned Concerned Southern Kaduna Youths protesters who stormed his palace to submit their letter of concern over massive killings in the zone’s villages.
The youths who embarked on a peaceful protest in Kagoro town of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State over continued massacre in Southern Kaduna by unknown gunmen waited in front of the chief’s Palace for 30 minutes without seeing him to receive the letter on behalf of his colleagues.
The protesters carrying placards with different inscriptions written: “Stop Genocide in. Southern Kaduna. Now,They kill us on daily basis in our land,Our land under siege” among others started their procession 10 AM at Manchok Junction in Kagoro town to monarch ‘s palace which ended at 12:40 pm without seeing chief Bonet who was in the palace but declined to come out to receive peaceful. protesters and their letter.
Speaking on behalf of Concerned Southern Kaduna Youths at the. Chief of Kagoro’s Palace ,Vincent Bodam recommended the formation of Southern Kaduna Vigilante Service (SKAVIS) to boost the effort of the military in the zone.
The protesters while calling for an urgent Southern Kaduna Security Summit appealed to traditional rulers to set up a relief fund for displaced persons.
The letter reads in parts: “Your Royal Highness, we like to bring to your attention, in case you are yet to observe, that the Governor of our state, Alhaji Mukhtar RamalanYero, has not in any way whatsoever shown modest regard for our people neither has his government demonstrated empathy for our suffering masses”.
“Thus we have no choice than to call him to take responsibility for his government’s failure. to curb the ongoing pogrom in Southern Kaduna being the Chief Security Officer of the state. For his snub to visit and have first-hand evidences of the violence against our people or show concern to our people, we feel (let) down and disenchanted.
“Your Royal Highness, it is because of this development that we write to you, as the head of all. our traditional leaders in Southern Kaduna to bring to your attention our position”.
“We do not see any difference between the mass killings in our area and those carried out in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states where a state emergency were declared. Your Royal Highness, we implore you to pass on this plea on to President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Ebele Jonathan Goodluck, to immediately declare a state of emergency in Kaduna state until normalcy is restored, considering that our people at this point in time have lost confidence in the government in the state which is seemingly unperturbed by the continued decimation of our people and the destruction of their. means of livelihood”
“If Borno state has a Civilian JTF, and South Western States have the OPC, to enforce security and provide useful intelligence to rightful authorities, it would be very unfair for government to deny, or frustrate Southern Kaduna peoples from forming Southern Kaduna Vigilante Service (SKAVIS) .We the natives of Southern Kaduna shall bear the brunt of its training and upkeep when instituted”.
“ The social and political implication of having grazing reserves in Southern Kaduna is therefore with grave consequence.For these and many more, we therefore reject the proposal for more grazing reserves, and would resist it with every legal means available”.
Follow Us On WhatsApp
