Chidi Samuel|
Kaduna state governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has responded to the controversy that trailed his announcement of the killing of 66 in Kagauru, Kaduna by stating that his government will not allow “bigoted busy bodies” to trivalise the killings.
Human right lawyer, Chidi Odinkalu had in a programme on Channels Television disputed the governor’s claim and timing of the announcement.
Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union has questioned the casualty figures.
But speaking through Samuel Aruwan, his media aide in a statement, the governor who defended the casualty figures released earlier, said only irresponsible and insensitive people can “recklessly” dismiss the deaths of members of a community with whom they have no contact.
“The Kaduna State Government notes the concerted and apparently coordinated efforts by bigoted busy bodies to deny the Kajuru killings, or to minimise the casualty figures, and the specious arguments being deployed in this despicable quest.”
“Only irresponsible and insensitive people can recklessly dismiss the deaths of members of a community with whom they have no contact.
“Private individuals and unelected actors cannot be allowed to reduce weighty matters of state security to the province of their limited networks, inexperienced lenses and narrow agendas.
“The government of a state cannot be detained by parochial, ethno-religious, partisan or electoral calculations from doing its duty to provide security, confirm incidents of security breaches, take steps to reassure affected communities and ensure that perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.”
The statement the governor has visited the state in company of Farouk Yahaya, general officer, commanding 1 division of the Nigerian army, Kaduna; Ahmad Abdulrrahman, commissioner of police in the state; A.I Koya, director of State Security Services (SSS) in Kaduna; and I Sani, a commodore of the Nigerian air force.
The statement continued, “Gen. Yahaya briefed the governor on the recovery of 66 corpses by soldiers in the Maro and Iri axis of Kajuru local government.”
“The General conducted the governor around the scenes of the crime which were littered with the burnt wrecks of buildings and dead animals.
“Police Commissioner Ahmad Abdurrahman confirmed that some arrests had been made in connection with the incident and that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.
“Before visiting the scene of the killings, the governor, accompanied by the security chiefs, stopped in Kasuwan Magani for a meeting with village heads and community leaders from Kajuru LGA.”
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