Group under the auspices of the Muslim Youth Foundation of Southern Kaduna (MYFOSKA); a youth wing of Southern Kaduna Muslim Ummah Development Association (SOKAMUDA), says recurrent crisis bedeviling Southern part of Kaduna state is largely factored by intolerance associated with political, tribal, religious and ethnic identity interests who keep supported by some selfish religious leaders fueling and sponsoring intolerance among ethnic activists, and instigating the otherwise tolerant traditional institutions.
The group urged Government to device effective mechanisms to arresting the proliferation of dangerous arms and light weapons among people in the region, saying, that would put an end to banditry and other forms of criminal tendencies that triggers insecurity on the land.
The group gave the advice during a briefing at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Kaduna on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the National Chairman of MYFOSKA, Kabiru Muhammed who claimed that the Muslim community in Southern Kaduna is always at the receiving end of the killings in the region, also explained that in most of the reoccurring incidence of violence over the communities, it is always unfortunately that instead of diagnosing the root causes with the aim to bringing an end to the ugly situation, some people ended up making politics and economic out of it.
“While this has remain the reoccurring decimal, the massive destructions and loss of means of livelihood have remain as some of the negative stories being recounted,” he said.
According to him, in spite establishing Commissions of Inquiries whose report and recommendations were submitted to governments, we note with sadness that the perpetrators and their sponsors/supporters were being left to go scot free without sanctions according to the laws of the land to serve as deterrence.
“This act of commission or omission by government’s failure to prosecute the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity, even after being identified by the various Commissions of Inquiries, further worsen the situation by emboldening the perpetrators and their sponsors to see nothing incriminating in their criminality.
“For this reason, the massacre of innocent human beings at the slightest opportunity and with different tactics and strategies has become past time adventure in a manner as if governments do not exist.
“Pursuance to its quest for sustainable peace in the Southern Kaduna area, and haven remain too vulnerable to the uncountable forms of aggression over our Ummah, MYFOSKA, found it necessary to organize and strategize its efforts to enhance peaceful co-existence in Southern Kaduna for the realization of enduring peace, unity and stability in the zone.”
While calling on the Media Houses, including NGOs to always verify their facts from all contending side to a conflict among the communities and ensure balanced reportage on sensitive issues to avoiding the usual one-sided and skewed narrative capable of worsening the volatile situation.
The group opined that Peaceful clubs should be introduced to serve as effective fora in which youths from different background should participate to gain life skills, confidence and self-awareness for successful life and peaceful coexistence.