Arewa Pastors Forum Condemns Killings Of Christians In Kaduna Under Curfew

Yakubu Busari

The National President for Arewa Pastors Forum For Peace ,Bishop Mbayor Japhet Ndarchang has condemned in it totality the recent killings of Christians in Chikun, Kajuru, Kaura, Kachia, Zangon Kataf and Jema’a Local Government  Areas of Kaduna State when Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, imposed dawn to dawn curfew .

 

The National Executive Committee of Arewa Pastors’ Forum for Peace in its statement said, “ we wishes to express our deep concern over the , as well as other parts of our great country Nigeria.

 

The forum notes with great concern that despite the initial curfew imposed on some of these Local Governments, the killings by Fulani militia continued unabated which suggests that the terrorists had support for free passage to  the disadvantage of their locked down victims.

 

But of greater concern was the provocative response credited to Garba Shehu, the SA/Media to the President when he stated that the killings in Southern Kaduna are politically motivated and a result of reprisal actions.

 

The irony of his statement is that he failed to name those politicians engineering the killings and what the Federal Government has done since they now know the fact.

 

The statement also clearly suggests that either the Presidency has been receiving one-sided Security reports from the Kaduna State Government under Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, or reprisal killings have now become the new normal.

 

We call on Mr Governor to immediately undertake a condolence visit to Southern Kaduna and other flashpoints to condole victims of these tragic acts of terrorism.

 

The APFP is equally concerned about reports filtering out from Kaduna State that the victims of these senseless attacks in Southern Kaduna are left without (adequate) help from either the State or Federal appropriate agencies except for those coming from individuals or humanitarian agencies.

 

We note that of except, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have up till now not provided humanitarian support to the victims.

 

In conclusion, we condemn the killings in all their ramifications and call on the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmed El’Rufai to take full measures to protect all citizens and other Nigerians living in his State in accordance with his Oath of Office.

 

His negative response and inability to visit the areas of attacks or send any meaningful humanitarian support raises issues of doubt concerning his impartiality.

 

Similarly, we join individuals of goodwill of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to call on Mr President to restructure the Security architecture of the Country to reflect the diversities of our great nation in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The forum commiserates with all victims of the attacks and pray that those who were wounded will receive comfort and healing from God. God  bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!