Southern Kaduna crisis: Osinbajo talks tough, says FG won't sweep issues under carpet
- Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has reacted on the killings in the Southern Kaduna
- Osunbajo said the mindless callous killings in Southern Kaduna were heartbreaking
- The vice president also said that churches can approach National Assembly for amendment of the new CAMA law
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Amid incessant killings and kidnappings in the southern part of Kaduna state, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has sent a warning message to the perpetrators of evils in the state.
Legit.ng reports that in a statement issued by Laolu Akande, the vice president assured that the federal government would not sweep the major issues underlying the conflict in the area under the carpet so as to effectively deal with the situation.
Osinbajo made the disclosure on Thursday, August 27, while speaking at the ongoing Nigeria Bar Association annual general conference during a special conversation.
He identified the major issues to include “ensuring justice, fixing economic marginalisation and the prosecution of persons responsible for these murders -this is to ensure that the impunity doesn’t worsen.”
Speaking on the way forward in the conflict, he stated: “I have been involved since 2001 through the work of the Macedonian initiative, an NGO that focused on providing relief materials to displaced persons in Southern Kaduna and several other places especially in the northcentral part of Nigeria.
“There have been judicial commissions and all sorts, but the problem remains. So, there is a need to address the underlying issues. You can’t sweep under the carpet, justice and the cries of economic marginalisation.
Source: UGC
“The fact is that we must prosecute persons responsible for these murders or otherwise impunity will worsen. And also support those who have lost their breadwinners.”
The vice president further said the mindless callous killings in Southern Kaduna were heartbreaking, saying that, "we must condole those who have lost loved ones and those injured or who have suffered the loss of property. These tragedies are unacceptable and they are avoidable.”
Osinbajo highlighted the efforts of the federal government so far in dealing with the situation, saying: “First is the improvement of security in Southern Kaduna. Now, we have a military base there, for the first time. We also have a lot of Air Force surveillance.
“We have about 500 conventional and Mobile Policemen in Zangon-Kataff and Kaura Local Government Areas and then the combined military team of the Army and the Navy who are also on ground 24 hours. This is basically to just take care of the volatile situation there.”
Speaking on the issues generated by the recently signed Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, he advised those agitated to approach the National Assembly for possible amendments, since “we are in a democracy.”
He said the solution to the concerns is evident, noting that an amendment to the CAMA Act could be sought by those expressing concerns about sections of the law.
He said: “We have a process by which this can be redressed. Whatever the proposal for amendment may be, whatever the view of the leadership of the church may be, regarding the question of how the trustees, whether they are interim trustees or not, can be put into a proposal that will be brought to the National Assembly for consideration for an amendment to the law, that is the process which is entirely opened and ought to be pursued.
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“We are in a democracy and there is a process by which things can be done and that process is the one where you bring forward amendments to the National Assembly and they will do whatever is considered useful in the circumstance.”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that retired army officer, Maj. Gen. Zamani Lekwot faulted the Kaduna government over the continuous killings in the state.
It was reported that Lekwot who is the founder of Southern Kaduna elders forum said there was more to the killings going on in the state because herders and the villagers have been living peacefully together for a long time.
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Source: Legit.ng
