SOUTHERN KADUNA MUSLIM UMMAH DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (SOKAMUDA) LETTER OF ADVISE ON RE-CURRING COMMUNAL DISTURBANCES IN SOUTHERN KADUNA PARTICULARLY RECENT ONES IN KAJURU, ZANGON – KATAF AND KAURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF KADUNA STATE
A. PREAMBLE
The Southern Kaduna Muslim Ummah Development Association (SOKAMUDA) an Umbrella Community Based and Self – Determination Association of the Muslims Communities (Comprising Hausa, Fulani and indigenous Muslims) in the Eleven Local Governments that emerged out of the old Jema’a, Kachia and Saminaka (JEKASA) Local Government Areas. On behalf of the Board of Trustees (BOT), the Executive Committe (EXCO) , and the entire Congress of SOKAMUDA we wish to commiserate with the Kaduna State Government and equally too, the families of all Muslims who lost their loved ones in those areas in the conflicts. We pray to Allahu (SWT) to repose the dead and comfort their families. We want to seize this opportunity to register our unflinching support to the Kaduna State Government in this onerous task of identifying, arresting and prosecuting all the perpetrators of the heinous crimes as well as their accomplices, conspirators and sponsors. In addition, we wish to assure His Excellency that we are prepared to cooperate with the Government in trying to find succor for the victims in this trying moments and that we will not relent until Justice is dully achieved. Having said that, we wish to write and offer our Advise with regards to the recurring crises especially the recent Communal crises that erupted in parts of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government, Kajuru Local Governament and parts of Kauru Local Government respectively.
We are aware that His Exellency has already been intimated on the Issue by a number of write ups and Press Releases by many Fulbe and Hausa Community based Associations .
In such write ups , facts and figures were presented on those affected by the disturbances. The quantum of loss of lives and properties was enormous. Similarly, the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) was equally very high.
We want to place on record that SOKAMUDA supports the write ups by the various Associations seeking for Government protection of their properties and lives that have been facing threats of genocide by instalments from some of their neighbours from 1981 to date.
SOKAMUDA equally welcomes the initiative of the present Kaduna State Government since coming to power in 2015, to seek for lasting solutions to the recurrent attacks on Southern Kaduna State communities and to end other sundry forms of conflicts in the area.
We therefore recommend that this letter of advice be carefully , objectively and comprehensively studied so as to understand the sustained and gross breaches of our people’s fundamental Human Rights over time and to find sustainable solution thereto.
The Security situation in most parts of Southern Kaduna particularly , the Local Governament Areas referred to in this letter is worrisome for quite some time. It is therefore not unexpected for a Responsible and Concerned Government to take the necessary steps as going on currently to find lasting solutions to the persistent loss of lives and properties that negates the aspirational Development of the peace loving people because peace is a prime requirement for the achievement of sustainable development and quality living standards and overall socio-economic development of the polity and its citizens.
The determined efforts of the present regime that is both patriotic, non-partisan and determined to move the State away from the status quo that is characterised by underdevelopment, injustice and internecine conflicts to a new and better Kaduna State that would be characterized by Security, Stability and Prosperity, which we all cherish is commendable.
B. ANALYSIS OF CONFLICTS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA FROM 1981 KASUWAN MAGANI CRISES TO THE KAJURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT VIOLENCE OF 2018 , THE MOST RECENT CONFLICTS IN ZANGON KATAF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN 2020 AND OTHER CONFLICTS IN PARTS OF SOUTHERN KADUNA
1.Before we present the analysis of such conflicts, we wish to highlight some critical points that are very relevant on those persistent disturbances . They are as follows :
i. The Muslim Communities have never left their settlements to attack any Christian Settlements in all these enumerated conflicts.
ii.The Muslim Communities being the minorities in Southern Kaduna have been at the receiving end of all these crises in terms of number of lives lost, the quantum of properties destroyed and the number of people internally forcefully displaced .
iii.In most of these crises, there were only very few prosecutions and convictions of the culprits due to the undue politicisation of the matter instead of treating them as the crimes that they were .
iv.The Victims of these incessant crimes including women, children and other vulnerable persons who were lucky to survive were often left without compensation, rehabilitation and de-traumatisation to enable them resume normal life resulting in the persistent weakening of their capacity to survive.
v.One of the effects of these conflicts is the forceful displacement of victims from their places of abode with its attendant consequences.
vi. Many of those killed in the crisis were men; some of them sustained injuries that led to their permanent incapacitation. Many others lost their breadwinners, spouses and children. About 75% of those displaced were women and their Children”.
vii. There were violations against children, as many lost their parents. Thousands were displaced. Schools were closed down or used as refugee camps. Many children displaced by the crisis were forced to change environment, relocating to other parts of the country. They disrupted their social networks. Thousands were unable to continue with their education because they lost their parents and had no available or surviving sponsors. In this way, they suffered a denial of their rights to basic education and a diminution of their future prospects and standards of living.
viii. Surprisingly the Hausa-Fulani and other Muslim Communities who were the major victims of the conflicts were always blamed for the crises. How can a minority group repeatedly attack bigger groups when they know that in the end they would always be the losers?
2.SOKAMUDA would wish to again present to Government a timeline of Communal Conflicts in Southern Kaduna in the last 39 years to further help in educating and understanding of such conflicts . Since 1981, so much unprovoked violence has been visited on Muslims in different locations across the entire Southern Kaduna landscape, some of them are :
i. KASUWAN MAGANI CRISES IN THE THEN KACHIA LGA IN 1981 :
Kasuwan Magani in the then Kachia LGA 1981: Here, people of Adara tribe decided to uproot Hausa traders to take over Kasuwan Magani market, by claiming that the land exclusively belonged to them (Adara People). Calling Muslims settlers and in the process killing and destroying 100 homes belonging to the Muslims in the settlement;
ii. YARKASUWA CRISES IN THE THEN LERE DISTRICT (NOW KAURU LGA) IN 1986 :
It was a conflict that arose following a contest over the District Headship of Lere when some members of the Kurama tribe were opposed to the candidature of another Kurama person who was a Muslim, whom they said dared not contest the District Headship of Lere town in preference to a Kurama Christian. In that premeditated violence that was organized, the unfortunate killing of over 100 people and destruction of about N10m (ten million Naira) properties of Muslims took place;
iii. KAFANCHAN CRISES OF 1987 :
This occurred when a certain Rev. “Bako” who was supposedly a Christian convert from Islam, turned the Campus of the then old Kaduna State’s Advanced Teachers College (now College of Education) at Kafanchan against the spirit of plurality into what he dubbed “Jesus Campus” while also provoking Muslim students by quoting in, and misinterpreting the Qur’an out of context in order to denigrate the religion of Islam. This led to a protest, that was turned into a violent attack on Muslim Students on the Campus of the College, which immediately spread into Kafanchan town, Zaria, and subsequently Kaduna and Katsina among other towns. In the incidence, over 300 people perished and property worth about N500m (five hundred million Naira) were destroyed with majority of the casualties being Muslims of Southern Kaduna;
iv. ZANGON KATAF CRISES OF 1992 :
This infamous violence against Muslims occurred when Kataf ethnic militia attacked the residents of Zangon Kataf and innocent travelers passing through Zango town . This was under the pretext of the Hausa traders’ resistance to the relocation of a market. In the violence, the whole portion of the town occupied by Muslims was burnt and demolished. Again, about 1,200 Muslims were killed in cold blood in broad day light. When the Justice Karibi Whyte Judicial Tribunal found the leaders of the militia who organised the pogrom guilty and sentenced them to death and long prison terms, the Federal Government only found it expedient to pardon them. This singular action failed to serve any deterrence and emboldened other people with extremists tendencies to lead and organise similar pogrom among Muslim communities in all parts of Southern Kaduna.
v. JEMA’A EMIRSHIP STAFF OF OFFICE RIOTS OF 1999
Here, some Christian ethnic tribes decided to stop the installation of a new Emir of Jama’a, a throne that was established in the 19th century and has been in existence since 1810. The reason for their action was that they do not want an Emirate in the Southern Senatorial Zone. The militia went on heinous rampage killing over 30 Muslims, burning properties and destroying anything owned by Muslims in many parts of Kafanchan township and the surrounding settlements of Muslims;
vi. THE SHARIA RIOTS OF 2000 :
This violence was visited on Muslims when Christians especially those from Southern Kaduna protested violently against a decision of the Kaduna State Government to implement a moderate version of Shari’ah. This myopic and ill-conceived protest led to attacks on Muslims resulting in the death of hundreds of them . The Crisis affected many towns in the Southern Senatorial Zone with the worst case recorded in Kachia where over 70% of the entire township was looted and burnt and hundreds of men, women and children were massacred in cold blood.
vii. THE VIOLENCE AT KIDACHE AREA IN CHAWAI CHIEFDOM IN 2010 :
In this, cattle herders were attacked and many of them killed after they fled the killings that trailed them from Plateau State. The killings were carried out by Chawai Christian Militia.
viii. THE 2011 POST- ELECTIONS VIOLENCE (PEV) :
This broke out following the April 2011 Presidential elections in many parts of Northern Nigeria. While the protests were mainly against politicians perceived to have rigged elections in many cities and towns like Kano, Mubi, Sokoto and Zaria, it was converted into ethno-religious violence in Kaduna State. Thus, Muslims were attacked in the Christian dominated parts of Kaduna Township including the adjoining rural areas. In the Southern Senatorial Zone, Christian youths saw this as an opportunity to descend on defenseless Southern Kaduna Muslims. Vulnerable communities of Muslims in Zonkwa, Mitsirga, Kafanchan, Kwoi, Madakiya, Gidan Maga, and Kagoro among many others were attacked in broad daylight. Within two days, more than 1,500 lives were lost, thousands of houses burnt and unquantifiable properties lost. Several settlements of Muslims were completely destroyed and Muslims chased out en-masse from these settlements to the present day. This created a flock of internally displaced persons running to over 200,000 people. The Government of Kaduna State under the past PDP administration completely ignored the plight of these victims.
The April 2011 Post Election Violence which took the typology of ethno-religious cleansing (genocide) in some parts of Southern Kaduna had led to the death of over one thousand five hundred Muslims, the forceful displacement of over fifteen thousand families from 38 villages with the complete destruction of their dwellings, places of worship, farmlands, livestock and other means of livelihoods.
The Post-Election Violence was the worst and bloodiest conflict in the history of Ethno-religious crises not only in Southern Kaduna, but the nation at large. As at now, over 98% of the victims are yet to return to their places of abode in spite of their expressed willingness to do so but made impossible by the aggressive tendencies of many of the Christian communities they lived with.
ix. THE DESTRUCTION OF KAFANCHAN PRAYING GROUND IN 2013 :
For no just cause, war mongering and well-armed Christian youths severally pulled down the walls of Kafanchan central Eid praying ground, which has been in existence for over 100 years. Neither the Jema’a Local Government Council nor the Kaduna State Government made any arrest and/or prosecute the perpetrators despite the fact that many of these atrocities were carried out in broad daylight and under the watchful eyes of security personnel .
x. THE KILLING OF A MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR IN KAFANCHAN IN 2013 :
A Muslim motorcycle operator was attacked and killed by rampaging Christian youths in the aftermath of the post-election violence in the outskirts of Kafanchan. The killers took his handset and used it to place a call to his uncle informing him in a victorious tone to come and remove the ‘carcass’ of his relation so that it does not decompose and pollute their environment. This sparked reactions leading to further crisis that left many harmless and hapless people dead.
xi.DEMOLITION OF THE FENCE OF KACHIA EID PRAYING GROUND 2014
The fence of the Muslims Eid praying ground in Kachia has been under constant attack by ‘unknown persons’ . Despite several appeals by the Muslims , the appeals were not addressed properly.
On 10th April, 2014 however, when a large portion of the fence under construction was demolished by ‘unknown persons’ this singular action caused suspicion among muslim youths who stormed the area in protest of such destruction. Following that development Muslim and Christian youths engaged each other in a bloody confrontation leading to killings of Muslims and destruction of their property within Kachia town.
xii. THE NINTE (GODOGODO) SAGA IN 2016
Ninte is a settlement in Godogodo chiefdom, Jema’a LGA. On 25/05/16, some herdsmen were grazing with cattle in the area when a farmer accused them of destroying his crops. This resulted in disagreement. The pastoralists’ leader (Ardo) of the area intervened and he initiated a peace move. He went to the District Head office to assure the community of their desire to pay compensation to the aggrieved farmer. Unfortunately, he was attacked and killed by an irate youth in the presence of the District Head and other community members. Immediately afterwards, the youths from the farming communities proceeded on rampage, burning all Fulani cattle rearers’ settlements in and around Godogodo and in the process attacked and killed every herdsmen on-sight.
These acts of injustice and hopelessness forced the herdsmen to respond in self-defense.
As a consequence of call to arms by SOKAPU and Senator Danjuma La’ah, there were coordinated attacks on the settlement of Muslims in Gidan-Waya, Tafan and Pasakori. At the same time illegal roadblocks were mounted by irate youths along many roads that traversed Southern Kaduna; leading to the periodic killing of Muslims on transit.
xiii. THE KAFANCHAN DEMONSTRATION EPISODE IN 2016
Another round of aggression on Muslims was disguised in the form of peaceful demonstration at Kafanchan on 19th December 2016, in spite of the order banning all forms of procession in Kaduna State by the Government. The Muslim community of Kafanchan Township found itself confronted with insults, harassment and intimidation in the name of the procession. Sadly, the choice of the location for the demonstration was the Muslim streets, and with the level of provocative statements, skirmishes started. As security agencies took action to prevent violence, the procession turned violent, revealing the true objective of the organisers: to unleash mayhem and provide platform for the killing of Muslims in Kafanchan. With security agencies preventing attack on the Muslims, the aggression was transferred to Government institutions, Mosques and business investments. Soon, the Local Government Council Chairman office, the treasurer and accountant offices were burnt; the Local Government Mosque, Federal technical college Mosque, and the Kaduna State College of Education temporary site Mosque at Kafanchan were all burnt.
Business properties for Muslims like the Kudnax filling station opposite College of Nursing Kafanchan, A.A. Abbas filling station, Alh Kabiru Tanko stores and Alh. Danjuma Umar business centre were also burnt. All properties for Christians were not touched.
Afterwards, many roads were barricaded and innocent Muslims travelers were intercepted and killed or their vehicles looted and burnt.
xiv .THE GOSKA INCIDENT IN 2016
The final aggression was an attack by Goska community on a Fulani settlement (Kadan) at the outskirt of Dangoma on 23/12/16. Where some Fulani herdsmen were killed, houses burnt and nearly a hundred cows killed. The assault continued until 24/1216 when the herdsmen responded, and drove them back to Goska village where the altercation continued leading to the killing of some of the community members and burning some houses.
In the early morning of 26/12/16, the Goska community regrouped and burnt three Fulani hamlets (rugan Kohoje, Gereje and Kwaje) close to Dangoma. They then proceeded to Dangomaand surrounded the community, killed six persons and made several attempt to attack Dangoma Community before the arrival of military personnel. In spite of all this, no arrest was made, while the media only reported that herdsmen had attacked Goska community without reference to the earlier attack on the Fulani, the burning of their houses and the killing of animals.
xv . THE AMBUSH AND ATTACK OF HIS HIGHNESS THE EMIR OF JAMA’A AT SAMARU KATAF:
The attempt on the life of His Highness the Emir of Jama’a following an ambush and attack on his convoy at Samarun Kataf by the Katafawa was a clear evidence of their hidden agenda that was perpetrated in 1995 to eliminate the Emir and the Emirate from Southern Kaduna. To buttress this fact neither the Christian leaders, the southern Kaduna people elected representatives, the southern Kaduna elders’ forum nor the southern Kaduna peoples union acknowledged, condemned the attack and commiserated with the Emir. Sadly enough, SOKAPU rushed to the media and denied such happening (attack). It is therefore, our candid submission that SOKAPU is either the mastermind or executioner of the dastardly act or all of the above otherwise why should they rushed to the press and denied that nothing of such took place. There is more to it than met the eye.
xvi.THE KAJURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT DISTURBANCES 2018 TO DATE
We are all aware that Kajuru Local Government in particular and some border communities in Kachia and Chikun Local Governments have been witnessing incessant violent Communal crises since 2018 to date. These crises continue till date amidst contending narratives by the parties involved in such conflicts.
SOKAMUDA would not want to comment on this conflict at this stage as the State Government had established a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the conflict. Our hope and prayer is that the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry will not only establish the facts but will also help Government to advance peace and Justice. We also advise the State Government to take steps to stabilize the situation .
xvii.THE ZANGON KATAF LOCAL GOVERNMENT DISTURBANCES 2020
We are all aware that since the 1992 Zangon Kataf unfortunate crises , the Katafs (Atyap) have unjustly taken over the farmlands of the indigenous Hausas of Zango Urban. Despite the 1996 brokered peace by the then Military Administrator of Kaduna State Colonel Lawal Ja’afaru Isa among the various factions the farmlands till date have not been returned to their Hausa owners. For over three decades now, as an Annual occurrence whenever they made attempts to use their farmlands in rainy seasons they were attacked . Hate was the immediate cause of the recent crises which spread to parts of Kauru Local Government.
SOKAMUDA would wish the Goverment and the public to disregard the mischief and lies being spread by some groups and Associations especially the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) , Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) as to the immediate cause of the recent unrest by resorting to blaming the victim.
As earlier mentioned , the cause of the crises was a land dispute between the native Kataf (Atyap) farmers and the indigenous Hausa farmers of Zango town . However, the Fulbe Communities in the Kataf (Atyap) Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government and surrounding villages in parts of Kauru Local Government who had nothing to do with the farmland or any other issue for that matter suffered simultaneous attacks by Kataf Youths. The attacks were for about four days from 11th June, 2020. The wicked attacks and maiming resulted in the killings of helpless and Deffence less Fulani women, children, and the elderly in the homes, sleeps, roads and in their productive economic business of cattle herding. Similarly, the Fulbe Communities have been suffering similar orchestrated attacks by Adara Youths in Kajuru Local Government and other parts of Southern Kaduna for no just cause. The loss in human lives ran into hundreds, while loss in property ran into millions of Naira with thousands in IDPs as submitted by various Fulbe Associations.
As usual, SOKAPU, their Collaborators and other mischievous nervous individuals and groups always quickly issue false information to mislead the public so as to get underserved attention. The public is advised to disregard such misinformation and falsehood by those people.
SOKAMUDA unequivocally wish to appreciate the efforts and prompt response of the Government and security personnel towards ensuring the return of normalcy and the rule of law in the area. We in SOKAMUDA hereby advises that further steps should be taken to ensure that the dead bodies that could not be seen have been fully recovered for burial accordingly and all missing persons and cattle still scattered in the villages are recovered and handed over to their families and owners . Other appropriate general recommendations are made at the end of this letter.
C. DRIVERS OF CONFLICTS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA
SOKAMUDA, at this juncture would want to recommend ways and means of rebuilding peace, achieving stability and finding an end to recurrent conflicts as much as possible by critically, objectively and comprehensively identifying the main conflict drivers and address them individually and collectively .
We have identified and analysed some of the conflict drivers that have over the years triggered conflicts in Southern Kaduna. We however acknowledged the fact that since after the 2015 Elections, the present Government showed political will by addressing some of these issues .
Some of these conflicts drivers include :
i. FALSIFICATION OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC REALITY OF THE SOUTHERN KADUNA SENATORIAL ZONE
The negative exploitation of ethnic diversity of Kaduna State by groups of narrow-minded and sentimental sections has led to massive stereotyping and served as foundation for religious, ethnic and sectional clashes.
One of the contentious issues has been political representation as well as employments in the civil service. A careful review of population of the Southern Senatorial Zone of the State will reveal massive inequality in political representation, where the Muslims populations are largely excluded from the affairs of Governance. It is evidently clear that the greatest fault line is religion, particularly between the Christians and the Muslims Population, with the Christians taking nearly everything. Sadly however, even the few opportunities given to the Muslims are seen as “undeserved” by sections of the Christians intelligentsia. They want everything in Southern Kaduna to be for Christians.
Contrary to the popular narrative and media portrayal of the Southern Senatorial Zone as an exclusively Christians Zone, there is the existence of a significant Muslim population, who cumulatively constitute about 40%. The number of the Muslim can be determined from the 2006 Census figures, the number of Primary Schools enrolment and the number of registered voters of this “apparently silent minority”. Thus, a major challenge facing the Muslim population of the Southern Senatorial Zone is inadequate recognition of the Muslims, leading to marginalisation in governance and administration.
The Southern Senatorial Zone has 87 Wards. In 16 of the Wards, Muslims constitute over 75% of the Population. In 10 other Wards, Muslims constitute about 50% of the Population. In Most of the other remaining 61 Wards, there are significant Muslims populations. During the 2011 Post Election Violence, several Muslim communities were displaced particularly in parts of Kaura, Zangon Kataf and Jama’a LGAs.
ii. RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION
Though the Muslims are statistically speaking a minority, the sheer propaganda of a section of the elites of Southern Kaduna has made it appear as if the area is entirely a Christian enclave, with no Muslims. Any Muslim seen in the area are mere ‘settlers’. To preserve this “imagery” scenario, important Muslim settlements must be destroyed. Important Muslim traditional institutions must be destroyed. Important Muslims places of worship and institutions of learning should be destroyed. Important Muslims economic activities also need to be destroyed. All lands and territories owned by Muslims must be taken over. The history of Muslims in the area need to re-told and re-written to justify this imagery scenario. The “settler” Muslims need to be gradually chased away. If they then want to return and live in Southern Kaduna, they will then be welcomed as tenants. They should live in Southern Kaduna as the Igbos or as the Yorubas do that migrated from the Southern part of the Country.
For the avoidance of doubt, majority of Muslims of Southern Kaduna don’t know which part of the world their ancestral origin is. So they have no any other ancestral home than those villages and towns in which they live in Southern Kaduna. Through inter marriages and centuries of cultural association and assimilation, many others cannot tell which ethnic group they belonged to. Most of the people called “Hausa” in Southern Kaduna are an amalgamation of many ethnic groups that lost their mother tongue for one reason or the other, and who happen to live together and form a “new” culture over several decades and centuries.
The situation of some Muslim communities is now so pathetic. Some Muslims have suffered untold hardship in the hands of aggressive tribesmen who arrogated to themselves the sole right of determining who lives and who doesn’t in particularly places irrespective of the facts that they were born there and have been living there for ages. As a direct conseqeunce of some of these exclusions on the basis of religion, many Muslim youths have been denied admissions, enrolment in the security agencies, appointments into the Local, State and Federal Government civil service and political representation particularly at the LGA and State level. Many communities have also been denied traditional rulers and have been forced to be under traditional rulers that they do not share similar cultural values and practices, an example of that are the Hausas in Zango Urban , Dangoma, Jagindi, Dalle, Banauje, Kariyo and many other Hausas and Fulani communities who are also Muslims but merged with Atyap ,Kaningkon and Godogodo Chiefdoms who do not share the same cultural or religious identities. This kind of situation was the reason of persistent agitations of most of the tribes which resulted in getting their individual chiefdoms. It should be well noted and is on record that Dangoma community are the first inhabitants of the present Kaningkon Chiefdom. The Kaningkons settle in the area during the reigns of the 8th Emir of Jama,a, Abdullahi Maje Jos 1915 to 1925 It is an irony that the same Dangoma community are now a District under Kaningkon Chiefdom. The hunter is now the hunted.
It is in this regard that we feel the Hausas in Atyap Chiefdom of Zangon Kataf Local Government , Dangoma community and other Fulanis in Jama,a Local Government and Ladduga in Kachia Local Government to be given their separate Chiefdoms in the name of justice, equity, self-determination and fair play.
iii. IMPUNITY AND INJUSTICE
The attacks and mass murder of Muslims has been recurring since the Kasuwan Magani incidence of 1981. In the course of these conflicts, hundreds of Christians have also been killed, some in the process of fighting and some innocently falling victims. Since then, rarely was anyone ever brought to book on account of this monumental crime.
A typical case was the killings in Zonkwa in 2011 that was video recorded by the perpetrators. In their video, they took pride in doing what they did. Most of these assailants were clearly identifiable in the pictures and clips. The video is widely available and was even submitted as an evidence by many individuals and organisations in the course of hearings of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry. The Judicial Commission of enquiry set up by the Kaduna State Government indicted the perpetrators. To date, no action or punishment has been taken. SOKAMUDA is however happy to commend the Government for setting up a White paper drafting Committee on the report recently . This is a commendable efforts towards addressing the matter once and for all. This hopefully would yield to genuine reconciliation.
With this level of impunity, citizens have little confidence on governance. In an atmosphere of fear and injustice, genuine reconciliation can hardly be achieved. The same assailants can keep repeating what they did, while many others may learn from them. In some of the communities, they are seen as heroes or emancipators.
Finally , we at SOKAMUDA are quick to observe that the political will shown by the present Government to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of such conflicts is commendable. We hope the momentum would be kept .
iv. INDIGENE / SETTLER DICHOTOMY:-
The practice of discriminating against millions of “non-indigenes”, those citizens who allegedly, cannot show that their family roots are native to the community creates an illegal division between “host” and “settler” communities that fed a growing sense of tension and conflict in many parts of the country policies.
This practice is not supported by any law or other form of legal justification it is used to marginalize and exclude the so-called non-indigenes by denying non-indigenes access to civil-service jobs, lower tuition fees at Schools, or academic scholarships.
They are also subject to less formal discriminatory practices, such as barriers to political participation and discrimination in the provision of basic services and infrastructure to their communities in addition to systematic ethno-religious cleansing, destruction of properties and forceful displacement.
in spite of the glaring brutality being constantly meted against us and in spite of the lack of political will earlier than the coming of the present government in 2015 by the Kaduna State governments, we believe we have the inalienable right to live and exist in Southern Kaduna, and we also deserve to enjoy all the privileges accorded to us by the Nigerian Constitution, which includes the right to life, economic, educational and social rights for employment like any other person of whatever tribe, religion or ethnic group.
Further to this, we observe also that in the past Governments and more especially the recent past have failed to accord us the necessary and needed security and protection accorded to us in the constitution as Nigerian citizens. In fact, the Government of Kaduna State and the LGAs of Southern Kaduna have made it a tacit policy to deny us the Southern Kaduna Muslims with appointments into key positions in the civil service, or to recommend same at the federal level. For this, our children and wards suffered the same exclusion in terms of State scholarship grants, placement in public schools, and other training institutions requiring the involvement of the state and or LGAs to attain.
Furthermore, there is an internal marginalization going on in southern Kaduna whereby any Muslim irrespective of his background is denied the right to aspire for any elective or appointive position.
The Muslims are seriously marginalized, oppressed and are considered as aliens/settlers, thus have no right what so ever to benefit in that direction
This marginalization and oppression did not stop on the issue of appointment or election but to the extent of denying us the right to acquire even the basic Education. The point we are trying to make to buttress this anomaly was between 1990 and 1991, the then Chairman of Jama’a local Government council (Mr. Mikiah Tapkwat) based on scripted agenda returned all missionary schools taken over by Kaduna State Government in the seventies back to the missionaries in all the areas where the Hausas/Fulani Muslims are populated. While all others in the Christians areas were left under the former arrangement including his native village (Tudun Wada Kaningkon). It was a well scripted agenda to deny us anything good under the Sun in the area
Our economic life has also been targeted, that was why as the slightest opportunity they loot and set our market ablaze. Since 2011 when the Kafanchan central market was destroyed by the Christians youths, their leaders and elites have been doing everything to ensure the market is not rebuilt. We’re however happy to observe that that this Government broke that jinx by commencing the construction of the Kafanchan market. We advise that more efforts be devoted in that regards as they would do everything to sabotage the construction of the market . They rushed and opened a new market on Government land illegally and named it Yakowa market.
Any visitors to Kafanchan will agree with the fact that the streets are over commercialized and choked due to the absence of designated market. This situation is a calculated economic blockage and sabotage against the Hausa/Fulani Muslim community in the Emirate
This unholy tendency fuels division, inequality and fault lines along which conflicts erupts thereby adding to the risk of conflict propensity. It is against the human spirit for a sane person can stand akimbo and watch another undermining its right to self-determination and condemned their destiny to limbo.
v. DISTORTION OF HISTORY
On this issue, we chose to use Jema’a Emirate as an example. A very good case in mind is that of the distortion of history to achieve exclusion and stigmatization of alleged settlers is the case of one Kajit John Paul who addressed himself as a Researcher on Peace building and Constitutionalism in Multi-identity postcolonial societies at University of Edinburgh, who in a letter to former Governor Ramalan Yero opined that:-
”the establishment and sustenance of ‘Jamaa Emirate’ as a first class ‘Traditional Institution’ in the territories of ethnic nations that do not share the ideals of the ‘Emirate Identity’, is as good as setting-up an offensive military outpost for imperial purposes- it is a recipe for recurrent and perpetuated conflict, whose endpoint is disaster if sustained.
Essentially, the Jema’a Emirate concept represents an ideology that has been phased-out by advancement in human rights and equality of all peoples.
This is conceptually similar (even if not exactly the same) as creating an Igbo ‘Kingdom’ in Sabon Gari Kano with a first class chief equal or superior in status to HRH Mallam Aminu Ado Bayero! Or perhaps a Bajju Chiefdom in Wusasa or Sabon-Gari Zaria, with a chief equal or superior in status to HRH Shehu Idris! The underlying concept is the institutionalisation of particular groups and identities as superior to others. The idea was to destroy the peculiar identities of the indigenous peoples by subjecting them to a Hausa-Fulani Emir in Jema’a”.
This is clearly a falsification of history using semantics to achieve an end that is unjust and selfish thereby compounding the fragile peace in Southern Kaduna. The self-acclaimed researcher is perhaps blinded by hatred and desire to inherit the Kafanchan Town instead of developing his village to its status.
It is this kind of falsification of history that is setting the diverse Muslims and Christian communities apart in the Southern Senatorial Zone. These create a feeling that some people are “aliens” and therefore not wanted.
Jama’a Emirate was operating as an autonomous Native Authority since when they were at Nasarawa Province and later Plateau Province. It was in 1957 when a member of House of Representative from the area, Mallam Dembo Kagoro sponsored a motion for the formation of a Federation, which was approved and Jama’a Federation was formed which brought the Subordinate Native Authorities of Moroa, Kagoro and Jaba as they cannot stand on their own due weak financial base, joined Jama’a Emirate to form the federation. As at that time, Jama’aEmirate was more buoyant than the other three Subordinate Native Authorities put together. The Northern Nigerian Government built the Secretariat at Kafanchan in 1957. The article of the formation clearly states that the Emir of Jama’a is the life time Chairman of the Council because of its size, historical antecedent, resources and financial base.
D. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
It is not debatable that Kaduna State, Nigeria and the entire world need peace. Peace is always built and sustained by justice, empathy and fairness to all concerned irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds which are the cardinal paths to achieving same. Rule of Law and pluralism must prevail over narrow mindedness and misuse of the instruments of power by any group.
SOKAMUDA will be highly pleased to be part of the peace-building initiatives of all stakeholders and Governments. In furtherance to this, the following are viewed as possible solutions to the almost four decades of recurring violent conflicts in the communities of Southern Kaduna:
i. Government should review the Reports and White Papers on Post-Election Violence set up by both the Federal and State Governments. Persons indicted should be investigated and reprimanded accordingly to serve as a deterrent. There should be fair trial and prosecution of all those found involved in the attacks and killings of people in all parts of the State. This recommendation we have seen it being addressed with the recent setting up of the White-paper Drafting Committee on the 1992 Rahila H. Cudjoe Commission of Enquiry on the Zangon Kataf crises and Late AVM Usman Muazu Reconciliation Committe
ii. There should also be adequate compensation and rehabilitation of the victims to alleviate their sufferings. SOKAMUDA is appealing to the State Governament to assist in follow up with the Federal Government for the balance of #4billion( four billion Naira) payment of compensation out of the approved seven billion naira (#7billion) to victims of the 2011 Post Elections Violence .This need to be given prominence. A comprehensive long term programme needs to be put-in place that will guarantee the restoration of all lands, assets and properties of victims.
iii. Establishment of Military barracks in Kafanchan is commendable . It is advised that Permanent security formations should be stationed in the other major flashpoints of communal violence in Southern Kaduna to safeguard the lives and property of citizens.
vi. The tagging of some citizens who do not belong to certain tribes as settlers need to be stopped. Hausa and Fulani people have had a long history of association not only in Nigeria but the entire West and Central parts of West Africa. Hausa and Fulani people today are citizens and indigenes of several nations and in none of these nations are they treated as “settlers”.
v. There is need for the Kaduna State Government and the entire national polity to ensure fairness and justice in political and social representation on the basis of population using the universal adult suffrage of one man one vote; such that constituencies are represented based on population, diversity and other democratic considerations as against the current practice of using ethnicity and religion.
vi. The incessant killings of both Muslims and Christians need to be stopped henceforth. Security agencies must act impartially to contain the excesses of aggressive communities and individuals. All efforts must be made to fish out the perpetrators of violence and conflicts and bring them to book.
vii. Calls for the protection of Fulani nomads who are in constant transhumance movement. Their essential needs for grazing areas, watering points and migratory routes need to be provided. SOKAMUDA commends the efforts of the Kaduna State Government in the establishment and
gazetting of grazing reserves in the State. There is need for creation of more grazing areas particularly in those areas with high concentration of the herdsmen. Government should also provide essential services that will help the nomads improve their economic activities and ensure efficient and effective management of pastoralists and farmers conflicts.
viii. Even though the present Kaduna State Governament has been doing fairly well for our people, we appeal that the Government should strategically and operationally recognise the plurality of Kaduna State in general and Southern Kaduna in particular so that appointments into public Offices, recruitment into Civil Service and location of development projects reflect the above diversity.
ix. Traditional institutions should be encouraged and empowered by the government to ensure check and balances of their domain. Having done that they should be held accountable for any breach of peace and extrajudicial killings in their areas.
x. The tradition of mounting illegal Road Blocks to harm innocent travellers by exuberant youth/group of people in the events of any crisis, should be stopped because innocent people on transit that have nothing to do with the area nor the crisis are often victims of such road blocks. The community leaders should be held accountable for allowing any such illegal road blocks as these happened many times in parts of Southern Kaduna.
xi. We are fully aware of the efforts of the Kaduna State in re-tracing , demarcating and clearing Known cattle routes (Burtali) . We suggest that Existing Grazing Reserves should be gazetted and be provided with all ranching and other facilities to encourage the herdsmen to reduce unnecessary movements. This would reduce frequent conflicts between farmers/community and the herdsmen.
xii. Government should support and encourage the functionality of a responsible and law abiding community vigilante both at District and local levels. This would complement the effort of the security agents in the area.
Kaduna State Vigilante Service (KADVIS) should be encouraged and financed t9 perform such functions.
xiii. Muslims in the entire Southern Kaduna should be granted their full and unalloyed human and constitutional rights to citizenship without discrimination like any other human groups in the area. We appreciate the present recognition and level of participation of Muslims at all levels of Governance , however, Government should prorate the participation of more Muslims in terms of appointment and other considerations from the area.
xiv. SOKAMUDA commends the Kaduna State Government for the establishment of the Kaduna State Peace Commission as an instrument for peace building, peaceful coexistence, shared prosperity and stability in the area in particular and the state at large.
E. CONCLUSION :
In Conclusion, we wish to state that contrary to media narratives the dominant Christians groups are the aggressors against the minority Muslim population in the Southern Kaduna violent Conflicts.
The records and other evidence are there to prove that Muslims suffer the most in terms of Lives lost, injuries sustained, property destroyed as well as forceful displacement. This being the case how can the victims precipitate a crisis they know that they would be the eventual losers?
We had often felt betrayed and have been disgusted by the action and sometimes inaction of Government, especially before the coming of the present Administration in 2015, the media, and the International Community. However, things are now changing for the better .
The path of Peace in Southern Kaduna is insistence on the Rule of Law by all stakeholders instead of media propaganda which ends up complicating the situation to our collective perils.
SgndADAMU MOHAMMED KAGARKO
Marafan Kagarko
( Chairman, SOKAMUDA)