Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo has revealed what the Federal Government is doing regarding the loss of lives in Southern Kaduna.
He stated this during the 2020 virtual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association on Thursday disclosing that he has been involved in the resolution of issues in Southern Kaduna since 2001 through non-governmental organizations.
He, however, condoled with the families who lost their loved ones in the ongoing clash in Southern Kaduna.
He said, “First, my heart goes out to everyone who has lost someone or has been a victim in Southern Kaduna. I am so sorry for everything you have experienced. Let me say that I have been involved in the resolution of issues in Southern Kaduna since 2001 through a Non-Governmental Organization and I think these issues have gone on far too long.”
Prof Osinbajo also revealed that the government has improved security in Kaduna State and also engaged with the community leaders and the Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to look at the bringing a lasting resolution of peace.
“First, we have improved security in Kaduna. We now have a military base, we have airforce surveillance, the combined military team from the army and the navy to take care of the volatile situation there. The President has also held security meetings and I have attended all of them where the issues have been discussed. Possibilities of engagement have also been looked at.
I have similarly engaged with community leaders in Southern Kaduna and I have also engaged with the Governor to look peacekeeping keeping efforts are possible to deal with the perennial issues that have resulted in the disgraceful human conditions there. In addition, those responsible for the mayhem must be apprehended and prosecuted so impunity doesn’t reign.”
The sporadic attack in Southern Kaduna has been going on consistently since January 2020 leaving many families displaced and communities shattered. A curfew was placed on the region while security forces were immediately dispatched but it has borne no respite to the region.
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, in responding to the attack on the region said, “The problem in Southern Kaduna is an evil combination of politically-motivated banditry, revenge killings and mutual violence by criminal gangs acting on ethnic and religious grounds,”.
