Muslim Association promises commitment to lasting peace

The Southern Kaduna Muslim Ummah Development Association (SOKAMUDA), on Saturday said it was committed to lasting peace, understanding and peaceful co-existence in the troubled areas of southern Kaduna.

The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Adamu Kagarko, gave the commitment at the maiden seminar and book presentation on 2011 post-election violence, held in Kaduna.

Kagarko assured that the association would continue to do everything possible to live in peace and harmony with other religious faiths in the state in spite of monumental loss of lives and property suffered by Muslims in the area.

He said, “Between 1980 to 2017, 5,000 Muslims lost their lives in 15 crises were recorded in the state, and 38 communities were wiped out.

“Today is the first in the history of Muslims from Southern Kaduna coming together to remember their compatriots that lost their lives in avoidable crisis.

“It is on record that 15 crises occurred in the state from 1980 to 2017 and in those unfortunate instances, over 5,000 precious lives were lost, over 38 sedentary communities were displaced, and properties worth billions of naira were equally lost.”

Kagarko said government should implent the various reports on the crisis and punish those indicted.

“We also appeal to government to ensure the implementation of the released White Paper on the crisis, apprehend and punish the culprits.

“We urge the government to pay adequate compensation for the loss of lives and property, ” he added.

Kagarko also called for adequate security in the area for people to return to their places of abode and continue their normal life without hindrance.

A Professor of History at the Kaduna State University, Prof. Abdullahi Ashafa said over 1,000 Muslims were killed during the 2011 post election violence in southern Kaduna.

Ashafa made the claim in a paper entitled, “Review of incidences, killings and destructions by Muslim communities during the April 2011 post-election violence in Southern Kaduna.”

He asserted that the 2011 violent killings of Muslims started from Zonkwa, headquarters of Zango Kataf Local Government before spreading to other parts of Southern Kaduna.

He listed areas where the killings occured to includ Maraban Rido, Zonkwa and environs, Kafanchan, Ungwan Rimi, Madakiya, Samaru Kataf, Kukum Gida, Tsakiya, Sabon Gari Kwoi, Matsirga, Fadan Daji and Gidan Maga.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Suleiman Bello, Director, Arewa House, noted that there would always be problems if people were asked to leave an area on the basis of tribe or religion.

He stated, “If every tribe in Nigeria will do the same then there will no peace in our land.”

He commended the association for organizing the event, saying it would assist the government and security agencies to explore ways of bringing about sustainable peace in the area.

Bello urged government to ensure justice for people affected by the recurring crisis, but warned against politicizing the southern Kaduna crisis for selfish gains.

Another scholar, Saleh Momale in paper he presented, said there was need for genuine peace and reconstruction of affected communities.

In the paper entitled `Looking to the future:Religion, Peace, Security and Socio-Economic Integration and Development in Southern Kaduna,’ Momale suggested the institution of an annual dialogue to bring together Muslim and Christian communities, as well other stakeholders to agree on ways to ensure sustainable peace.

He said that the diversity in ethnicity and religion in the area should be a blessing rather than a curse.