I am a member of Southern Kaduna coalition of Muslim victims of the post-election violence. We have made our case to the FG and to the Kaduna state judicial commission of inquiry before we withdrew the same. We are waiting for the conclusion of the investigation, issuance of the report and the white paper. We cannot take the law into our hands when we are waiting for justice as the victims. Some the so-called attempts at reprisal are fabricated because guilty conscience needs no accuser. Haven murdered people in cold blood in hundreds, over one thousand they knew that there are repercussions and these repercussions will definitly come sooner or later. So they are fabricating some to cry wolf where there is none. If you said you arrested Fulanis at Aso, part of Bede route to Jangidi, these Fulanis have explained that they lost their cattle to thieves during the crisis and everybody knows that the Fulanis are very passionate about their cattle, they value their herds of cattle and they followed the foot steps of the thieves to see if they could trace their cattle, they spend long hours in the bush. On their way back night fell, but because they were on cattle routes they did not fear anything. Then some people said they were there to attack them. We challenged them to produce a wounded person or the arms collected. When we said a gunrunner was arrested with ammunition we presented the picture of the ammunition and the person. So, if anybody is making claims he should do so in words and picture. And the incident in Kafanchan market, the truth of the matter is that some people are not happy with control, ownership location and operations of the Kafanchan central market. That was why they set on fire in the first place because they have minimal stake in it. You can count how many of them have shops in the market apart from the few women who come to collect commodities from wholesalers to retail and go back home with their earnings. They are trying to promote a parallel market at the outskirts of Kafanchan. So, if anything happens to the Kafanchan central market those who are trying to set up a parallel market are the right people to provide answers. Do you create markets in a place that is not designated with the planning authorities as market.
The is of Fadiya
The Fadiya I read in the newspaper just like you. I don’t have the facts. I know Andrew Kaza and I know his house and I know he is one of the elders and one of the district heads of Bajju chiefdom where over 400 people were killed.
Q: How do you rate Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa’s first 100 days in office?
A: When Parick Ibrahim Yakowa became governor of Kaduna state there were justifiable celebrations, happiness and high expectations for a number of reasons. One, the man started his public life as a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University in the mid-seventies and did a post graduate degree in the mid-eighties and joined the public service. From the beginning of his career to date he has held over twenty different positions right from civil service, political appointments and elective positions. So he has the prerequisite qualification and experience to be a governor, haven been a director at the state and federal levels, a permanent secretary at the state and federal levels, a commissioner, a local government administrator, SSG, a deputy governor, he is fully prepared to be a governor. But that expectation has been dashed by the dismal performance of his government. Right from the constitution of his cabinet merit was not the issue, the issue of delivering service through competence; the ultimate vision of the government is not qualitative transformation of Kaduna state. The first 100 days have largely been wasted because he has proved to be a partisan leader. When he was inaugurated he said he would not be a governor for Christians, that he would be governor for everybody. But in the post election violence over 1000 people were killed, no single person was arrested and the internally displaced persons were not catered for. They were left at the mercy of the elements. What is there to celebrate when over 1000 lives were killed; orphans and widows are there languishing in hunger, diseases and poverty and the culprits that perpetrated this mayhem, destroying villages, killing people, destroying economic assets have been left to go free because of ineptitude and the governor is particularly guilty of shameless partisanship by awarding contract for the evacuation of the burnt vehicles at Gonin-gora. Before the commission of inquiry came to inspect the vehicles and find out the owners, he has cleared the evidence of the crime. Is that the duty of a government that is supposed to investigate the crime and ensure justice? So as far as I’m concerned Governor Ibrahim Yakowa has degenerated from being a potential statesman, a father of all, a governor concerned with justice, fairness and sustainable development and noble cause like that into a parochial, one-sided ethnic champion jettisoned and compromised merit via ethnic and parochial considerations. What is there to show in terms of education, agriculture, healthcare delivery system in Kaduna state? Travel on all the major streets of Kaduna, you will see potholes. These are things that can be fixed. I can fix them in two weeks having that position; I don’t need100 days. Go all the entry points to Kaduna central market, all the T-junctions in Kaduna you have potholes. What is the situation of security of lives and property in Kaduna state? You can’t talk of development without peace and justice.
Q: When you talk of post election violence, a judicial commission of inquiry was set up. That would have provided an opportunity for people to seek redress. Why did you not avail yourself of that opportunity?
A: We have withdrawn because it was a kangaroo commission. It was not justice-oriented because there are survivours… if I’m living in my house with 11 members, a militia came and killed 7 and 4 survived with gunshot wounds, with deep matchet cuts and they say Mr. Commission of Inquiry I know those who came to our house to kill our people. I narrowly escaped, I know them. Why can’t the commission of inquiry invite those people and interrogate them for breaking the law, for violating the sanctity of human life? Even in the hometown of the governor a Major General (rtd) was found supervising an illegal roadblock, age mate of the governor.
Q: He was doing that as a what?
A: He was doing that as part of the militia killing people. They intercepted sick and wounded people from being taking to the hospital for treated in Abuja in the governor’s hometown.
Q: But you have now withdrawn your petition …
A: (Cuts in) because we have no confidence in them, we are going to conventional court, we are going to Federal High Court, ECOWAS Court, the Hague to sue Patrick Yakowa in person; the case will continue even after he leaves office until we get justice because the primary responsibility of government is the protection of the sanctity of human life and property. If that is violated and if you not an assessor to that action why not take action to punish those who committed mayhem be they Hausas, Fulani, Muslims or whatever? You must take action because the buck stops at your table. He is the governor of Kaduna state. If there is breach of peace and tranquility, he is responsible for that.
Q: The way you are talking it seems you are still burning with anger, not reconciliatory.
A: Yes I’m burning because 12 of my family members have been merciless killed including my grand father and the state government that is supposed to promote the rule of law is trying to encourage the rule of self, is encouraging the people to take the law into their hands by not doing justice. There is a law in physics, the Newton third law of motion that says to every action there is equal and opposite reaction. If Kaduna State Government, one thousand Muslims, one thousand Hausas and other associated tribes – Yoruba Muslims, Nupe Muslims, Ebira Muslims, Igala Muslims were killed and the governor because he is a Christian refuses to do nothing then if one day the table turns he should blame himself because not everybody can forgive.
Q: I think forgiveness should be at the centre of this, don’t you think so?
A: Forgiveness is at the centre of it, but the aggressor must show remorse and say sorry it was a mistake. But if he is saying you are a settler in Nigeria, you have no right to live in Southern Kaduna because you are Hausas or because you are Muslims, you should go back to a Muslim area or you should go back to the far north, that is not part of the Nigerian legal system. The Nigerian law allows you to live in a place of your choice in your country. Even ECOWAS nationals are being encouraged through the ECOWAS protocol to intermingle; European Union is melting its borders, but some barbaric people are trying to say there is place for Christians and there is a place for Muslims in 21st century Nigeria.
Q: What is the way out of all these?
A: Very good. The first thing there a new judicial commission of inquiry should be constituted with members that are not partisan from outside Kaduna state. We have judicial experts from Yoruba, Taraba, Benue Kogi and southern Nigeria that can come as impartial, neutral people; judicial experts can even come from West African sub-region – Gambia, Ghana, even the Human Rights watch from the USA. There should be a comprehensive, systematic and unbiased investigation of the issue which will show the aggressors and the victims and the aggressors should dealt with in accordance with the law of the land no matter who they are and regardless of who are their sponsors. Then the victims should be compensated and measures should be taken to avert recurrence.
Q: Do you subscribe to truth and reconciliation commission?
A: Of course, it has worked in other civilized societies, but in southern Kaduna killings and maiming have been going on since 1981 and all the people of southern Kaduna, the religious leaders, the intellectuals, the professionals groups, the community development associations and traditional rulers have kept mute over it.
Q: This problem is touchy, but this is not the first time it is happening. You can see that in Bauchi Christians will be killed and people see it as normal, in Kano Christians will be killed especially In Tudu Wada local government area and people see as normal, in Jos Muslims will be killed in certain parts and now you are talking of southern Kaduna. No one has the right to kill another person even if he is a pagan. Do you think it is good to wait until it touches you then it becomes a problem and you complain?
A: No, you know we are all human beings. If you know what you are doing, we are all descendants of Adam and Eve and we are Nigerians. If not for the parochial stupidity and barbarism of some useless people, we are all Negroes whether you are Idoma, Igala, Tiv, Yoruba; we have common ancestry. It’s just evolution of human society that gives us different languages/dialects and different religions. Why should that be the basis for me to kill you and how is that going to help you? If a whole generation of killers is being raised and the whole social strata of society is condoning but not condemning, is trying to shield them from justice, why won’t they do that tomorrow? Do you think violence is a mat which you can spread and roll it when you are tied? Violence has its dynamics, if you start it you will lose control and one day it may turn against you. That time you will have nobody to cry to. That is why it is our own interest and in the interest of the country and future generation we have to put our heads together to see that justice is done. If a Hausa or Fulani man kills anybody he should also be killed. The same thing if a Bajju or Kataf or anybody kills another person he should also be killed. If a Berom kills he should be killed. Poverty or struggle over resources is not a justification. People have been where they are for centuries and you just wake up over night because of parochialism and failure in leadership, derailment in socialization process and you say these are the enemies and these are the friends and you start killing people and you think this is the end? It doesn’t work like that.