Enemies of peace behind renewed attacks in Southern Kaduna, says SOKIPEP

The Peacebuilding advocacy group in Southern Kaduna operating under the aegis of Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners, SOKIPEP, has reiterated its condemnation of the renewed Attack in the area.

The group which said it was disturbed by isolated attacks being carried out by criminal elements in the area, however, commended Operation Safe Haven, a military outfit in the area for prompt response as well as arrest of suspects.

SOKIPEP, in a statement, Saturday by its National Coordinator, Rev. Dauda Fadia, said it was “saddened by these mindless attacks coming particularly at a time genuine peace is gradually returning to the area.”

According to the peacebuilding group, “The attacks under any guise is highly condemnable and retrogressive.”

It charged the various communities in the area to embrace one another and begin to identify and report criminals living among them to security agencies, noting that by such doing, peace will fully return and the people will return to their old ways of living.

“People of goodwill from the Hausa, Fulani and Atyap communities must work together to defeat these criminals who are bent on taking us back to dark days for their selfish and ego benefits.”

Describing the attacks as barbaric and senseless, SOKIPEP, while commending the men and officers of Operation Safe Haven for the arrest of the suspects, we appeal to the communities to give maximum cooperation to the security outfits.

“This is highly commendable and should be sustained. If people know that they can’t get away with crimes, they will definitely have a second thought and it will also curtail reprisal attacks,” it added.

The statement read in full: “We condemn in the strongest term the barbaric and senseless attack on Manyi Mashi Community of Zango Kataf Local Government Area which claimed the lives of two elderly people by a group of suspected criminals on Friday 11 Sept 2020.

“We are saddened by this mindless attack at a time when genuine peace is gradually returning to the area.

“The attack under any guise is highly condemnable and retrogressive, people of goodwill from the Hausa, Fulani and Atyap communities must work together to defeat these criminals who are bent on taking us back to dark days for their selfish and ego benefits.

“One fact is necessary to end this prolonged crisis and it is that every tribe and religion have criminal elements who are conflict merchants and benefits heavily from it. Until we all rise to this occasion and expose these elements amongst us, lasting peace will continue to elude us. If we fail to act now, our generation would definitely pay for our actions or inaction.

“We want to profoundly commend the efforts of the officers and men of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), the special military task force in-charge of four local government areas in Southern Kaduna over the cheering news of their quick response and arrest of some suspects over the attack.

“This is highly commendable and should be sustained. If people know that they can’t get away with crimes, they will definitely have a second thought and it will also curtail reprisal attacks. We are sincerely pleased.

“We call on all the peace-loving people of Southern Kaduna not to be deterred by these skirmishes. This is the handwork of certain criminal elements amongst us to frustrate the peace process being spearheaded by Operation Safe Haven. Our people must resist it and continue to work closely with the special military task force and other stakeholders to sustain the already achieved peace.