El-Rufai Appeals Against Reprisal Attacks In Kajuru Villages

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday urged all communities in the state to reject what he terms as an eye for an eye stance in resolving their differences.

Addressing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at their camp in Maraban Kajuru in Kajuru local government area of the state, the governor said that an attitude of attacks and reprisals only produces pain and suffering, hence he asks them to imbibe the spirit of togetherness and shun divisiveness.

A communique by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, stated that the governor also directed relevant agencies to reassess the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are from different communities and enable them to return to their communities soon.

Part of the statement reads, ” I am saddened by the situation. “What we saw is unfortunate, but we must speak out and tell our people the right thing to be done. An eye for an eye is not a solution to the vicious cycles of killings and will complicate and undermine collective efforts.

“Our admonition is simple. If Fulani or Adara communities have complaints of killings or attacks, they should report and allow security agencies and government to take up the administration of justice. If these communities resort to taking the laws into their own hands, it will not work. That is not the solution.”

The governor who said that all communities must resist the temptation to take the law into their own hands noted that such practice has never worked and will never work.

El-Rufai also said that it is not helpful to create false narratives and politicize security challenges that can be solved with goodwill and law-abiding conduct by all parties.

“As a government, we will continue to collaborate with security agencies, traditional and religious institutions in peacebuilding, but we will be frank to our communities. They have lived peacefully before this mistrust and they can rekindle the glorious past by simply not taking the laws into their own hands and doing away with jungle justice.”

“On our own part, we will do our very best in protecting lives and property. We will also not shy away from applying the law to anyone found complicit in the violent communal conflicts, irrespective of their status, religion, ethnicity or political persuasions. Let us cherish all lives. No life is more precious than another life.”