In spite of efforts by Kaduna State government, security operatives and other interest groups and organizations to restore peace in the troubled southern part of the state, peace seems to have taken flight as warring parties are not ready for sincere dialogue, police authority said yesterday.The Police Commissioner, Agyole Abeh while leading newsmen on a tour of the recently attacked communities around Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state on Friday said, though normalcy has returned to the area but there are still pockets of isolated killings in form of reprisal attacks.The police boss, who decried non readiness of the two opposing parties for dialogue due to fear of the unknown despite the overwhelming presence of security men noted that, the best way to resolve whatever grievances both parties may have remains dialogue.
According to him, the 24-hour curfew imposed on two LGAs few days ago was relaxed on Thursday evening but security operatives were forced to reinstate it this Friday morning based on intelligence report they got over night that some mischief makers may cause trouble before the day break.We assessed that, the peace process meeting may not hold based on what we heard over night about Bankin Kogi, Asim and two other places. We have been having continuous attacks here because each time a group attacks another group, there would be reprisal.So, most of the attacks are not heard or reported until there is reprisal. We learnt that armed herders were attacked and there was reprisal.In one of the latest attacks, a distress call was made and we responded by confronting the attackers and in the process we lost one of our men. With enough force now on ground, the situation will be brought to a halt in conjunction with locals because we all begin to understand that there is no need for killings and reprisal.
“Special forces that were deployed by IGP are sleeping on mountains and giving on ground support to aerial surveillance, all to put the situation under control. But sincere dialogue remains the only alternative to restore lasting peace among the members of these communities”, the CP explained.Also speaking, Brigadier-General Isa Ismail, 1 Division Garrison commander who recently relocated to join the forces on ground said, his observation has so far revealed that both parties are guilty of bloody attacks against each other, saying, they need to come together and work with security agencies to bring an end to the killings.District Head, Dangoma, Mamuda Suleiman said, there has not been any attack on his community after the December incident, adding that “even when there was attack then, they did not go on reprisal and that is partly responsible for the relative peace we are having here”.
A resident of Amere North, Goska District, Timothy Gimba said, though there is relative peace since arrival of security personnel, he expressed worry that, they have not been able to go to farm either to harvest or prepare for the next planting season.As at the time this Correspondent visited Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a LGA, the major roads were deserted, leading to forceful shutdown of businesses; banks, schools, telecommunications, filling stations among others. There were also illegal roadblocks in Kafanchan suspected to have been mounted by angry youths from the area.However, in places like Taka Sabon Gari, Ambam Kanim, Goska, Dangoma and Bakin-Kogi, people were sighted sitting in front of their houses while Muslim faithful were seen observing their religious rights.
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