The sadistic killings in Kaduna that have claimed thousands of lives seem to have defied every effort by authorities targeted at ending the sinister bloodshed. The crises in Kaduna is now believed to be an ethno-religious crises due to the different turn of events and shapes the crises have taken over the years.
The people are not just being killed, but also savagedly raped, physically and psychologically tortured, abducted, mobbed, rendered homeless, and most questionably, neglected by the government whom they voted in to protect and give them a sense of belonging, security and safety.
To get a better understanding of the origin of the crises would mean to first understanding the demographics of Kaduna State itself.
Kaduna Demographics
The city of Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna State, is one of the largest in northern Nigeria and is viewed by some as the symbolic capital of the north.
While the north of Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, Kaduna has a significant population of Christians, from around 30 ethnic groups based mostly in the southern part of the state, sometimes referred to as Southern Kaduna tribes.
According to some estimates, close to half the population of Kaduna may be made up of Christians. The majority of the population in the northern part of Kaduna State is Muslims from the Hausa ethnic groups.
As the Kaduna State Police Command and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) agree to work against insecurity and activities of fulani terrorists and kidnappers, the commissioner called for unity in diversity, adding that “we should all be our brothers’ keepers.
“Always reach out to security personnel around your communities with prompt information once you identify suspicious persons,” he stressed.
Earlier, the state chairman of CAN, Rev. Dr. John Joseph Hayab, commended the police commissioner for finding time to interact with Christian clerics.
He said the church had gone through difficult times with over 23 pastors and priests killed by bandits in the state alone and over 200 churches closed due to activities of bandits in the past four years.
Rev. Hayab recounted how one Pastor (name withheld) was kidnapped on the 8th of August, 2023 before he was released, adding that according to the kidnapped pastor’s account, there are over 215 Christians abducted by the terrorists and they are still there and that the bandits asked him to lead prayers for them while he was in their den.
He therefore called on the commissioner to look into these issues among many others holistically and build the confidence of the people once again.
SOURCE: Champion
IMAGE: Web
