Southern Kaduna people “ready to dialogue” with attackers

The President of Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU), Solomon Musa, says the union is ready and willing to dialogue with people launching attacks on Southern Kaduna communities. He spoke during a meeting with the Global Peace Foundation of Nigeria (GPFN) at SOKAPU office in Kaduna where he stated that the major task before the Union […]

The President of Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU), Solomon Musa, says the union is ready and willing to dialogue with people launching attacks on Southern Kaduna communities.

He spoke during a meeting with the Global Peace Foundation of Nigeria (GPFN) at SOKAPU office in Kaduna where he stated that the major task before the Union is to identify the persons attacking communities in the area.

"Moments ago, the people of Southern Kaduna were inherently peaceful. We have always been ready and willing to discuss any challenge we have,” Musa said..

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai has kindly said that the persons carrying out attacks and killing in Southern Kaduna are from 14 African Countries. The task now is for the Governor to be ready and willing to bring such these people. If he brings them out, we will be able to sit with them, talk and ask them why they are attacking us.

"You can have dialogue always when you have the right persons and when you know who to have dialogue with. The main task is to be able to identify who to dialogue with. If someone is attacking you and you do not know who the attacker is, then it becomes very difficult. Since the Governor has told us where they come from, we expect him to use the machineries of State to bring them from across the 14African countries and we will be ready to sit down and dialogue with them with a view to finding out why they are attacking us. If at all they say, it is reprisal, then we will be able to find out where? because the narrative that has been said was that 800 lives were killed in Southern Kaduna during the 2011 post election crisis but all reports of that period pointed out that 800 lives were lost in 12 northern states particularly in Kaduna and Zaria," he explained.

 

He however alleged that persons who are supposed to be state men keep making incendiary comments; noting that the State itself does not appear to be entirely unbias. "The State has made so many comments and if the state government is ready and willing, we are also ready and willing to dialogue and talk but with regards to farmers/herders skirmishes which have always been there in Kaduna and several other communities, where there are such challenges, we will always be ready to sit down and broker peace," he stressed.

"SOKAPU is for the protection of all people in Southern Kaduna regardless of where they come from. We will fight and defend everybody, we are a community development association and we see everyone as one."

Earlier, in his remark, the country Director of Global Peace Foundation, Nigeria (GPFN) John Oko expressed deep condolence over the loss of lives to attacks in the area. "We are trying to initiate a process of conversation that can lead to reconciliation," he said.

Genuine reconciliation he said cannot take place if there is no fairness and justice. "We do not represent anyone’s interest; we do not represent government but our organization. In our conversation, we want to be fair to all parties. We began with consultation with Fulani community leaders after which we scheduled a follow-up meeting with the state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Southern Kaduna Community leaders. On Wednesday, we met with leaders of four communities including Goska, Ambam, Dangoma and Bakin-Kogi. We shall continue to stress our vision that ‘We are One family under God’," he said.