TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE READ BY THE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHERN KADUNA PEOPLES UNION (SOKAPU), HON JONATHAN ASAKE, ON MONDAY JANUARY 18, 2021 IN KADUNA
Gentlemen of the Press, we have called you to unequivocally make known our position on the State of the Nation, especially on matters of security, governance
and general wellbeing of our people.
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.
As I address you today, no
fewer than 143 communities across our local government areas in Southern Kaduna
have been completely displaced, with 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. From reports of kidnappings
available to us and the amount of money paid in ransom, our poor, vulnerable
and defenceless people in Southern Kaduna have had to cough out over N900
million from January to December 2020 in ransom to these heartless criminals,
with many killed when relatives of victims are unable to raise the ransom and
at times even when ransom is paid. This undoubtedly has placed Kaduna state as
the nation’s capital for kidnappings and abductions.
While the government of the
day in our state and at the federal level have continued to appear
helpless in their capacity to tackle these challenges or many at times turn a
blind eye to these horrifying atrocities and crimes against humanity, the
chances of bringing back hope for our despairing communities is becoming
slimmer by the day.
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.
We recall a similar
concern raised by a respected General and statesman, philanthropist and former
Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (retd), where, having
observed the incessant killings across communities in Nigeria, particularly in
the Middle Belt Region, and also observing the non-neutrality of the Nigerian
military, urged communities to rise up and defend themselves. This clarion call
for self-defence by the General which is a constitutional provision and a right
for every citizen was perceived negatively by a section of this country which
has continued to behave as if they own Nigeria and that other citizens have no
right to criticise the government of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
In another twist, a
refined gentleman, technocrat, accomplished academic, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a one-time presidential candidate, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, had in a media interview called the attention of Nigerians to the inability of government in tackling insecurity in the country. He further drew the attention of the public to the sad situation where a certain Northern
governor was behind the banditry in the region. Despite comments by Dr. Mailafia on those behind the insecurity ravaging our nation, the secret police were more concerned in harassing the Harvard trained economist than looking into the substance of his revelations.
It appears to us, therefore, that comments by Nigerians attract different reactions from the government, depending on the region, ethnicity and religion of the person making such comments. It’s sad to note that when persons of core Northern extraction criticize government; they are taken as kind words, but when the same statements are made by people of Southern or Middle Belt extraction; they are harassed and tormented and their comments branded as treasonable by government.
This discriminatory posture of government clearly shows that the Buhari-led administration treats Nigerian citizens differently; some as first class and others considered as second class. If this is not the case, how can one explain a situation where
the same comments made by Dr Mailafia attracted ceaseless harassment by security personnel, and a similar comments by the Acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), did not attract the same reaction.
Again, when the respected Bishop Kukah criticised the government in his Christmas homily, all hell broke loose from Northern elements who have consistently exhibited intolerance since the assumption of Buhari as the President. Despite the fact that some of those
who came hard on the Bishop had made statements against the government in a
more critical manner. Considering the rancorous debate that has trailed the
Bishop’s Christmas homily, it is clear to all that while some have arrogated to
themselves the right to criticise President Buhari-led government, others are
denied the same right. More worrisome is the fact that the core North has
consistently exhibited to the rest of the country that Buhari is a president
for a particular region and religion, and not for the entire country. Sadly so,
his glaring nepotism, chauvinism and bigotry in his governance style seems to
lend credence to this perception.
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.
SOKAPU stands with Bishop Kukah and others who before him had called to attention the subtle and continuing annihilation of our communities. The people of Southern Kaduna have
continued to bear the pains of discriminatory practices aimed at diminishing our status as Nigerian citizens. In the light of these grievous infractions on
our rights, we have taken solace that just as the dawn follows the night, this
present darkness of hopelessness that is enveloping our nation will soon fizzle
out.
As a union, we hold this fact as incontestable, that all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic and religious
divides, have the inalienable right to criticise government with the sole
intention of promoting inclusivity for all citizens. Those who have threatened
Bishop Kukah ought to be arrested and be made to face the full wrath of the
law. For the Islamic group that issued out a threat and an ultimatum on the
Bishop, we must warn here that nobody has a monopoly of violence and nothing
should happen to Bishop Kukah. Those who call on the government to rise up and
do their jobs are not criminals; they are patriots who are genuinely interested
in the unity and wellbeing of citizens.
Thank you for the audience.
HON JONATHAN ASAKE (President)
