In light of recent developments that have resulted in the release of persons initially arrested by the military for their involvement in various crimes associated with kidnapping, murder, rustling and especially, setting ablaze the rectory of Saint Raphael’s Catholic Church Fadan Kamanton in the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Kaduna State, leading to the death of Na’aman Danladi, a budding Catholic Priest, who burned to ashes in the fire set not by the God of Isaac, but by the aforementioned murderers whose stock-in-trade, is to kill and maim in the most callous and repugnant manners. Ofcourse, in their book of Confessions, unlike the Confessions of St. Augustine, they are known to be responsible for why Southern Kaduna, particularly Ikulu land, has become a theatre of death; a cluster for kidnappers, and a harmful colony to both its people and would-be investors.
It was the operations of these murderers, and later, their acolytes, that led to the cold-blooded murder of the likes of the former Director General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Dr. Yakubu Sankey, Ardo Saleh Umar that was slaughtered like ram in view of his commitments to Peace, and a retired Airforce Officer, Master Warrant Officer Hamza Musa, among tens of people that they sent to their early graves. Some of them were infact found with dangerous ammunition such as the AK-47 they freely use against innocent farmers in broad day light. This is not to mention their report card in the kidnap of especially vulnerable women and children that they often keep in their custody for weeks or months depending on when ransom is paid.
While hundreds of people cannot visit their hometowns because of the activities of these same terrorists , others including traditional rulers have been in exile. This is not to mention the inability of ordinary people to freely go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped. Ditto investors. The result is clearly what we now see: famine and the shut down of economic activities.
It is these same murderers, some of whom have been in detention since late last year, that have now been released by only-God-knows-who. And like an oxymoron of sorts, their coming back is marked by both celebration and mourning. Celebration by families and friends, and mourning by the rest of society. Infact, the last few days, particularly in Ikulu land, have seen some impromptu migrations for fear of the obvious.
While we call on all, particularly in Ikulu land, to remain law-abiding, government and all those in charge of our security must answer the following : Were these people charged to court? Were they found innocent leading to their release? If not, could it be that they have finished serving their jail terms? And if they were released on bail, who were their sureties?
Finally, we call on government and stakeholders to IMMEDIATELY investigate this development before it results to an unimaginable chaos! The people are desperate to live and could do anything to keep their lives. A stitch in time saves nine, the saying goes.
Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi,
BoT Chairman PVC-NAIJA and the Initiator CONSUS.
