The Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) has disclosed that 143 communities across local government areas in Southern Kaduna have been completely displaced over insecurity in the area.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, President of the union, Jonathan Asake said over 160,000 persons, mostly women and children, now living under very harsh and dehumanizing conditions devoid of food, medication and other necessities of life.
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He further noted with alarm that Southern Kaduna people have had to cough out over N900 million from January to December 2020.
“We feel gravely concerned, particularly with the spate of insecurity that has ceaselessly engulfed the nation, especially in communities across the Northern and Middle Belt Regions.
“Nigeria as a nation is seriously undergoing severe security challenges where as terrorists who pose as Boko Haram, bandits or kidnappers continue to unleash premeditated and unprovoked attacks on our people and turning our communities into rubbles of devastation and desolation.
“The incessant kidnappings, gruesome massacre and displacement of indigenous people from their homes have continued unabated.
“Presently, in most of our communities across the 12 local governments of Southern Kaduna, there are reported cases of daily abductions on the road, farms, homes, markets and worship centres where victims have gone through unimaginable torture and relations forced to pay outrageous sums of money as ransom.”
He added, “It is against this backdrop that the Christmas homily by the Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Dr Matthew Hassan Kukah, serves a timely wake-up call on national leadership to confront the monsters of destruction that are committed to the annihilation of our communities.
“This is not the first time patriotic citizens and statesmen have raised their voices of concern to draw the attention of our leaders to the need of confronting these security challenges that seek to destroy our nation which appears to have always fallen on deaf ears.
“All that Bishop Kukah is accused of saying against this government had been said by some other people in a more critical manner but never attracted a barrage of condemnation and threats.
“We note that the Sultan of Sokoto, prominent emirs and the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) had condemned President Buhari over his dismal performance in tackling insecurity in the country, with NEF calling on him to resign.
“The anger and threats that are being issued against the revered Bishop was never served on the Sultan, emirs and NEF which clearly shows the discriminatory posture of this government.”
He then called for the arrest of those who threatened Bishop Kukah and be made to face the full wrath of the law adding.
