Kaduna killings: Catholic bishops ask El-Rufai to convene stakeholders meeting

The Catholic Bishops of Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province have appealed to Governor Nasir El-Rufai to urgently convene a stakeholders’ meeting.

They said such a parley would help  in addressing the incessant killings in Kajuru Local Government Area and its environs.

They spoke through a statement jointly signed by the chairman of the province, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Manoso Ndagoso and Secretary, His Lordship Most Rev. Dr. John Mamasa Niriing (OSA) of Kano Diocese.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the remote and immediate causes of incessant killings in southern part of the state.

Security agencies have been urged  to intensify efforts at stopping  the deadly attacks and ensuring that peace return to the area.

The House also asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)to urgently  provide the affected communities with relief materials to alleviate their sufferings.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Yakubu Barde (Kaduna), who  regretted that  relevant authorities have failed to  bring the situation under control.

The bishops lamented that the resumption of “mindless killings in the Kajuru area of Southern Kaduna came to them with a great shock”.

They noted with dismay that in the last four months alone, the communities have suffered a chain of tragedies which climaxed with the gruesome murder of their paramount chief, the Agwom Adara, Mr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, in October last year.

“We had hoped that this tragedy would alert the state government of the seriousness of the tragedy and all sides of the urgency of peaceful co-existence. Unfortunately, the situation seems to be growing worse among the communities around Adara land.”

They stressed that, “while the people of Adara still have no traditional ruler, their other leaders have been rounded up under various allegations and have been in detention for a few weeks now”.

“Clearly, these developments have exposed the Adara people to physical, cultural and psychological insecurity.

“Although these killings continue to carry such labels as farmer/herder clashes, ethno-religious and reprisal killings, they do not explain the existential threat that this poses for the faith of our people in a united Nigeria.”