Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has expressed his frustration over the destruction of the Military foundation laid in Southern Kaduna last week by unknown persons.
Mr El-Rufai, in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said perpetrators of the act would be fished out and “brought to justice without fear or favour.”
The Governor had last week laid the foundation for the establishment of the Nigerian Army Battalion at Ungwan Yashi area of Zangon Kataf Local Government as a response to the incessant killings occurring in Southern Kaduna since 1980.
Mr El-Rufai said he “received the news with shock over the unfortunate destruction of foundation laying structure of the proposed Nigerian Army battalion in Southern Kaduna.”
“The very structure we erected to establish the long-awaited Army Barracks to assist promotion of peace and end the decades of senseless bloodletting in the southern part of Kaduna State,” he said further.
The Governor described the incident as “unfortunate, condemnable and a setback to the government’s communal stabilization and peace building efforts” but emphasised that his administration “will not be deterred.”
Mr El-Rufai urged the “people that cherish peaceful coexistence to continue to be resilient, focused and resolute in overcoming antics of forces of darkness and evil,” noting that, “Those that did this are determined to derail the contributions of the security agencies, having failed to spread their tentacles of hate, bigotry and penchant for divisiveness.”
“I want to use this medium to appeal to all men and women of conscience to remain firm and optimistic, while government in collaboration with security agencies, civil society, religious and traditional institutions will continue to work assiduously for peace and security of life and property,” he said.
