Stakeholders constitute peace and reconciliation committee in Southern Kaduna
NAN-H-75
Reconciliation
By Mohammad Tijjani
Kafanchan (Kaduna State) July 13, 2017(NAN) Critical stakeholders in Southern Kaduna on Thursday said they were tired of fighting each other and agreed to constitute a peace and reconciliation committee to ensure lasting peace.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the all inclusive meeting was held in Kafanchan at the instance of Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria.
Major stakeholders at the meeting include the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MABCAN), Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Jema’a Foundation.
Also present were indigenous Fulanis, Chiefdoms and communities affected by the recurring violence including Kaninkon, Godogodo, Numana, Moroa, Atakar, Chawai, Kagoma, and Dangoma, who were represented by their leaders.
The participants agreed that membership of the peace and reconciliation committee should include all groups and communities, and “going forward, resolve all pending issues in order for lasting peace to return to Southern Kaduna.’’
The Country Director, GPF Nigeria, Mr. John Oko, said: “It is our hope that today will mark the beginning of the important part of the process of our working together for peace building in Southern Kaduna.”
Oko said the objective was to attain permanent peace that would usher sustainable development to the area.
“We commend all the stakeholders and community leaders that have been involved in the ongoing consultations and mediation process over the past several months which have culminated to the meeting being held today.
“GPF Nigeria, which had held several separate meetings with each of the stakeholder groups and communities since January, for the first time brought them together for the Southern Kaduna Peace and Reconciliation Meeting.
“During the consultations, one point we heard repeatedly was that everyone was tired of the hostilities and wanted it to end.
“We believe that this meeting today should send a clear signal that the end of the violence has come, and going forward, you will all work together to resolve all pending issues.
`’I want to assure you that Global Peace Foundation is committed to supporting you in that process until lasting peace returns to Southern Kaduna.” he said.
Northern Coordinators of the foundation, Sheik Halliru Maraya and Rev. John Hayab had earlier traced the dislocation caused by violence in the lives of people of the area.
“This crisis has affected every family in the state, so why must we be killing ourselves; We are One Family Under God.
“The killing must stop and we must give peace a permanent place.’’
President of SOKAPU, Solomon Musa, said the group would not support killings in the area.
“We in the SOKAPU will not support killing of human beings or animals, we will defend a Hausa, Fulani, Bajju, Jaba or any other tribe; we are committed to peace and justice.’’
Also, the leader of MACBAN in Kaduna State, Haruna Tugga, urged all to live as brothers and sisters, stressing that, “we must forget the past for a brighter future, we must support peace for development.’’
On his part, National President of Jema’a Foundation, Alhaji Abdullahi Zubairu, said both parties need peace, and urged all stakeholders to go back to the olden days when everybody lived peacefully as one.
Similarly, representatives of CAN, John Bwankwot and JNI, Audu Barau, respectively, said people must learn to live together as one to engender love and understanding.
NAN recalls that GPF had successfully brokered a similar peace and reconciliation deal in June between migrant Fulanis and locals in Kaninkon Chiefdom of the state.(NAN)
TJ/MZA
Edited by Maharazu Ahmed