By Philip Yatai
Elder statesman, Gen. Zamani Lekwot (rtd.), on Thursday said that security challenges in Southern Kaduna State was caused by outsiders rather than indigenes of the area.
Lewkot said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ((NAN) in Kafanchan.
He was reacting to a media report that quoted the Commander of the Military Operation Safe Haven, Maj.-Gen. Augustine Agundu, who accused retired and serving security officers of Southern Kaduna extraction of fueling the crises in the area.
Agundu was quotedd to have said in Kafanchan at a security meeting with stakeholders that “there are serving and retired security officers in this area that are promoting violence.”
However, Lekwot said that southern Kaduna people lived in different parts of the country and were not known for trouble making.
”I think he might have been misquoted. This is because no general will publicly accuse fellow generals without first confronting them with the facts.
”We were not invited to any security meeting, where such an allegation was put before us. So, I think the newspapers came up with the mischievous headlines to sell their papers.
“Moreso, part of security officers’ job is maintaining and promoting peace. As such, it is illogical for such critical security officers either retired or serving to be the ones instigating security crises,” Lekwot said.
He said it was wrong for anyone to accuse the people of causing or inflaming the recurring security crises in their own communities.
He said the security crises that bedeviled the area for ages were caused by outsiders.
“It does not make sense for any one in the area to instigate crises that will cause the death of many of his people.
“We welcome people in our communities and associate cordially with neighbours,” he said.
The retired general said that the community had continued to promote peaceful coexistence with its neighbours through its umbrella body, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, where he was the Chairman, Board of Elders.
Credit: NAN