Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has condemned the mindless and callous killings in Southern Kaduna and he explained the federal government’s interventions in Kaduna state.
Osinbajo spoke on the State of the Nation at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association themed Step Forward on Thursday.
The panel anchored by Nduka Obaigbena, the chairman of ThisDay newspaper also had the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila on it.
“I want to say that the mindless, callous killings in Southern Kaduna are heartbreaking and again we must condole that who have lost loved ones, those injured or those who have suffered loss and property,” the Vice President said.
“These tragedies are completely unacceptable and they are avoidable. I have been involved since 2001 through the Macedonian Initiative, an NGO that focused on giving relief materials to displaced persons since 2001 in Southern Kaduna and other places especially the north central part of Nigeria but the deadly violence in Southern Kaduna has continued over the years.
He explained that there have been efforts to stem the crisis in the south of Kaduna. “There have been judicial commissions etc but the problem remained. So there is the need to address the underlining issues but what are we doing, what is the government doing?
“First is true improvement of security in Southern Kaduna. Now we have a military base there for the first time. We also have a lot of air force surveillance; we have about 500 conventional mobile police men and the combined military force of the army and the navy who are also on ground 24 hours which is basically to take care of the volatile situation there.
“The president has also had several security meetings, I have attended all of those where the issues have been discussed and the possibilities of engagement have also been discussed.
“I have also engaged with community leaders in Southern Kaduna and also, I have engaged with the governor to look at what peace making efforts are possible and what can we do to ensure that these killings and this disgraceful human condition there is dealt with and some of the peace making efforts have been very successful.
“Recently, I’m sure you have heard of the rapprochement between the Zangon-Kataf community and the Hausa Fulani community and we hope that that will develop into something that not only will be permanent but be a template for making peace in the future.
“But I think we must address the fundamental issues, we can’t sweep those issues under the carpet. Justice, the cry of economic marginalization etc, we must prosecute persons responsible for these murders or these impunities will worsen and also support those who have lost their properties and breadwinners.
“I think some of these issues must also be addressed as we go forward and what we have been trying to do, the president obviously has taken several steps asides from the engagement with the governor and also with the community leaders.
“We are also working, you know one can not disclose all of what is going on, our reason is confidentiality and security. There is also a lot of work going on to ensure that some of these fundamental issues are addressed and it is an evolving situation which we cannot ignore and it has gone on for far too long.”
