Kajuru Killings: Arrest Perpetrators Not Victims, ADA Tells el-Rufai

BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – Adara Development Association (ADA) on Thursday declared that its 23 children below the age of 18 years have been kept in prison custody since September 2018 without trial.

This is just as it expressed serious concern over the unwarranted arrests of the victims of the continuous killings in the area while the perpetrators are allowed to walk about free and unhindered.

The Adara people strongly demanded and advised the Kaduna state government to desist from using state apparatus as a means of settling whatever perceived scores it may have.

This was contained in a statement by the National Vice President of ADA, Mr. James Auta, in which he noted that the figure is beside the imprisonment of nine chiefs and elders of Adara that have been locked up without any justifiable reason.

Auta said; “The prisons should not even accept underage children, yet our children are languishing in prisons for no just cause. This is in addition to our nine chiefs and elders that have been locked up without any justifiable reason.”

The Adara people decried the continuous killings bedeviling Kajuru and other parts of Southern Kaduna.

Auta further said; “The Association notes that a new wave of killings broke out and has refused to abate since the State government’s pronouncement of ‘66 (and then later increased to 130)’ killings. Since then there have been numerous arrests, and where preliminary investigation do not even remotely link suspects to the incident, they are still detained. 
“Victims and activists who have lend their voices in condemning the arbitrary handling of the arrests are either threatened with arrests or prosecution.

“Officials of Adara Development Association, who are not in prison are now being hunted. These include Luka Waziri Esq, Sebastine Barde, James Auta, Bitrus Maiwando and Augustine Jankaro, who are being sought to be arrested merely by reason of their identity and affiliation.

“There is credible information that the Kaduna State Governor intends to trump up charges against a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, merely for speaking against the government’s handling of the security situation in Kajuru.

“The procuring of abduction and disappearance of the named persons and others sought to be persecuted by the government under legal artifices have no basis in justice or due process.”