Last week, there was a minor tussle when the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) was forced to rescind an invitation it had sent to Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai to speak at its annual conference. While this was largely centered around his poor human rights record, another reason cited was the spate of killings in Southern Kaduna where a long-lasting cycle of communal violence has endured over the last two decades
A background of Southern Kaduna
Southern Kaduna is one of the 23 local governments of Kaduna State with a population of 402, 390 persons recorded at the census in 2006. It is a mixed population with 8 dominant groups and 11 wards. Northern Kaduna’s population is largely Muslim and Hausa-Fulani while Southern Kaduna is majorly Christians with diverse tribes and languages. However, the dominant religions remain Islam and Christianity. The River that runs through the state Capital and its city denotes the absolute divide. The Northern half is unofficially called Mecca while the South, Jerusalem.
Kaduna has about 59 to 63 different ethnic groups and reports have it that there have been 10,000- 20,000 deaths since its inception in 1987. The peak of these deaths occurred in the years 1992 and 2000 to 2002.
The Starting Point; A breakdown of mishaps in July.
- July 13th- the only man left in Mashau was murdered.
- 11 pm July 19- nine deaths, six injured, nineteen houses, and vehicles burnt at Chabon village.
- July 20th- fourteen deaths, five injured, and eight houses were burnt in an attack on Sabin Kaura.
- July 20th- An eight-year-old boy was killed, twenty houses and one vehicle were burnt at Kiffin.
- July 20th- seventeen persons who attended a wedding party were killed at Kukum Daji Community.
- July 21st- eleven persons including the village head were killed, four houses and four motorcycles were razed at the Goran Gan community.
- July 22nd- a family of five was killed at Kaura village while a man missing from Dangoma LG was found decomposed on the outskirts of Ungwan Yashi. A community leader from Dangoma was also killed.
- July 23rd- eight deaths at Kajuru LG.
There have been other attacks across several other local governments which include: Takau Gida, Takau 1 and 2 and Ung/Masara in Jama’a local government, Bakin Kogi Chawai and Sarapang Kizachi in Kauru local government, Asha A-wuce, Kurmin Masara, Ung/Zaki, Zangon Hausa, Ung/Wakili Madakiya, Wawan Rafi, Manchon and Samarin Kataf in Zangon Kataf local government as well as Kagoro and Zunukun in Kaura local government.
The killings at Southern Kaduna dates back to the 1990s especially 1992 when violence between the Hausa and Kataf communities broke out over the relocation of a market in Zangon-Kataf local government.
In 2011, there were tensions over the results of the Presidential elections leading to the death of more than 500 persons in Southern Kaduna alone while 204 people were killed in bloody violence in 2006.
The violence of 2002 called, Miss World Riots is one that will forever be etched in the minds of Nigerians. The annual Miss World Contest, scheduled to hold in Abuja, Nigeria was later moved to London after a columnist of ThisDay, a Southern-based newspaper suggested that prophet Mohammed would approve of the contest and suggested that he might marry one of them. This statement provoked the youths who burnt a branch of the Newspaper, set churches and bystanders in a fire while chanting, Down with Beauty, and Miss World is Sin for three days. Over 500 persons were injured with 100 left dead.
The killings of February 2009 also left 141 persons dead. The reason for this was to wipe out certain communities.
What’s the reason for the killings?
While the latest killings are due to conflict over land ownership, the state has a list of dissensions that have motivated the persistent killings ranging from political and ethnic struggles for power, economic openings, agricultural resources to territorial ownership. There has always been a perceived fear of suppression by the politically influential Hausa-Fulani people. The crisis rages on as parts of the state remain undeveloped, among other issues such as low education, poverty, passive government, rivalries, and limited opportunities for the youths.
The Governor of the State, El-Rufai, in a meeting with leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) earlier this week, debunked claims suggesting that land grabbing and genocide were reasons for the killings within the state.
Part of the false narrative of the history of violent conflict in southern Kaduna is the loose use of terms like land-grabbing and genocide. They are being used in this current cycle of conflict, just as they were in the 2016/17 and the 2011/2015 cycles.
However, in an interview on Channels Television, he claimed people behind the violence wanted ‘brown envelopes’, which he has since refused to give.
Most of the people saying that they have no means of livelihood were living off the governments. The governments before us were paying them money every month, they called it peace money’. We stopped it. And for a governor like me who does not appease them because they are used to being appeased, they cause troubles, they organize these killings and then, their leaders are invited by the governor, they wine and dine and they are given brown envelopes. That’s what they have been doing for 20 years.
They have come up with other things because the money they got during the election is exhausted and they can say whatever they want to say, he said, adding that he will not appease troublemakers.
I have no time for nonsense. I will not appease criminals. I will not appease idle people who have nothing to do but to raise a specter of genocide. They do that to get money into their bank accounts and get donations from abroad instead of standing up.
What’s the reaction?
In light of the killings at Southern Kaduna, there was a protest by a group of women mostly dressed in black, with some half-naked, calling for the government to bring the assailants to justice.
Social groups like Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum, and the Middle Belt Forum (PANDEF) visited the state over the killings and made a collective donation of N2 million to aid internally displaced persons.
Our position is that for the South-south, Southwest, Southeast, and the Middle Belt, whatever attacks one, attacks all. So, the attacks against Southern Kaduna are attacks against all of us. That is why we are here this afternoon to commiserate with you.
Meanwhile, despite the curfew imposed by the state government, youths took to the streets protesting against killings within the state chanting, ‘Enough is Enough’ with words inscribed on placards.
Meanwhile, the state government has assured the citizens of persecutions once enough evidence is at hand.
I will not tolerate people that incite. I will map them, we will arrest and prosecute them, that’s my style, I obey the rule of law.
The most noteworthy reaction so far has been the withdrawal of the Governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, from speaking at the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) after a petition by lawyer, Usani Odum, got over 3,400 signatures on change.org. It was made known in a tweet by NBA.
The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning Committee be withdrawn and the decision communicated to the governor.
Also, a letter titled, “Request to withdraw the Offer of Platform at the 2020 Annual General Conference of the NBA to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai” was sent to the Chairman, Technical Committee on conference planning, NBA, Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi.
Why does this matter?
The continuous killings in Kaduna reinforce the state of Nigeria’s diversity crisis which will slow down development if not resolved.
It’s also a call to the government to look deeper into the security affairs of the nation as it concerns both the Boko Haram insurgency and the Niger Delta Oil crisis. The security forces of the country are constantly being defeated by these groups.