Senate condemns, to probe Kaduna killings

THE Senate, yesterday, condemned the killings in Southern Kaduna, where no fewer than 808 persons were reportedly killed in 53 villages; 57 people injured, farm produce worth about N5.5 billion destroyed and 1,422 houses and 16 churches allegedly razed by herdsmen.

The Senate, yesterday, resolved to set up a committee that would carry out a holistic investigation into the killings, just as the upper chamber bemoaned that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna have been consistently attacked by herdsmen. This came as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, said there was urgent need to crush Boko Haram as the spate of killings across Nigeria is fast becoming unbearable. Dogara, in a welcome address after the Christmas and New Year break, said: “Many developments in the polity require legislative and executive responses. “An enduring solution can only be attained if all of us—northerners, southerners, Christians, Muslims, politicians, the apolitical, traditional rulers and religious leaders— accept the fact that we are responsible and rise to confront and rid our communities of these evils.”

Senate At the Senate, though it was yet to announce membership of the committee, the resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Danjuma La’ah (PDP, Kaduna South). In his presentation, Senator La’ah said: “The Senate notes that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna senatorial district of Kaduna State have been consistently attacked by herdsmen, resulting in deaths, injuries, loss of property and displacement of the communities.” According to him, since December 23, 2016, communities of Ambam, Gaska, Dangoma, Tsonje, Pasankori, Gidan Waya and Farin Gada of Iama’a and Kaura councils have been under attack by the herdsmen. The statistics “In Southern Kaduna, 808 persons were killed in 53 villages across the four councils, while 57 people were injured, farm produce estimated at N5.5 billion destroyed and 1,422 houses and 16 churches burnt. “In the last one year, we have witnessed a harvest of killings by these marauding herdsmen with several cases of massacre in Agatu, Benue State; Uzo Uwani, Enugu State, with several attacks in Taraba, Delta and Edo states, to mention a few.” Following a recommendation by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, that the motion should not be debated so as to avoid bad blood, additional contributions were not accommodated. In his remarks, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said: “We condemn in totality the depravity being exhibited on the streets of Kafanchan. “This Senate will not pay lip service to it, neither will it sit idly by and watch innocent Nigerians being slaughtered on the basis of their religion, ethnic group or political persuasion.”