Stop The Genocide In Southern Kaduna Now

Release
By Yakubu Kuzamani, National PRO, SOKAPU
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) is alarmed at the increasing spate of mass slaughter unleashed by terrorists on innocent people living in Adara communities that have so far claimed the lives 117 Adara natives, including destruction of 140 houses and properties worth billions of naira within one month.
Since the commencement of this bloodbath by terrorists in Kajuru Local Government Area, Ungwar Barde in Maro Ward has so far suffered two attacks, culminating in the murder of 10 persons, including a pregnant woman on February 10, 2019 and another invasion on Sunday March 10, 2019 that resulted in the killing of 17 persons. In yet another brazen genocidal attack on Adara natives, Karamai village came under heavy attack on February 26, 2019 which claimed 38 people, with about 40 houses burnt by the invaders. While the smokes from these dastardly attacks were yet to clear, Inkirimi and Dogonnoma villages came under attack on Sunday March 10, 2019 where 52 persons were killed, while about 100 houses were razed down.
It is clear from the nature of attacks that there is a deliberate plot to obliterate the Adara people whose only crime is being natives of the besieged communities. We are stunned that despite these horrendous killings that send shock waves around the country and the world, Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai has failed to ensure defence of the Adara people as well as to end the carnage. His earlier allegations that Adara natives had killed 66 Fulanis; a death toll he late increased to 130 has continued to open a floodgate for more “reprisals” by terrorists over el-Rufai’s allegation that is yet to be proven. The governor is equally yet to go to the press with the statistics of the present attacks inflicted on the Adaras stating the ethnic nationalities of the victims. The terrorists are yet to be arrested.
Considering the mass killings that have left untold devastations in lives and property in Kajuru, an area that is gradually being transformed into an axis of bloodthirstiness, SOKAPU calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the entire local government area in order to stave off further demonstration of barbaric attacks. As citizens of Nigeria who have the right to live in safety, the Union wishes to state that it can no longer trust Governor el-Rufai in guaranteeing their safety.
SOKAPU calls on men and women of good conscience, as well as the international community, to mount pressure on the Federal Government to end the killings. The Union pleads with the Adara Nation to continue to maintain peace despite the unjustifiable arrest of the leaders and abolition of their Chiefdom.
As an umbrella organization representing the 53 ethnic nationalities in Southern Kaduna, we are traumatized that Kaduna State Government can quickly arraign Adara elders over alleged killing of 66 Fulani; an allegation that is still unproven, but cannot arraign those responsible for the killing of 117 Adara natives. SOKAPU is confident that no matter the conspiracy that has foisted the culture of genocidal massacres on our land, the truth shall finally triumph.