Kajuru: Playing Politics With The Dead
BY IBRAHEEM MUSA
Since February 15, a lot has been said and written to discredit the Kajuru killings but the truth keeps rearing up its head, in spite of volumes of falsehoods. In a press statement, Kaduna state government had announced the recovery of 66 corpses, including women and children, across about eight hamlets in Kajuru local government area. In addition, the government had warned against reprisals, assuring that the killings are being investigated and culprits will be prosecuted.
Thereafter, politics took over the announcement as individuals and groups took turns to deny the massacre. First, Human Rights activist Chidi Odinkalu, in an interview, had disputed the number, claiming that only about 11 people were killed a few days earlier. In addition, Odinkalu had challenged Governor Nasir El Rufai to prove him wrong. Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) echoed Odinkalu, accusing El Rufai of trying to stir up violence. Like the Human Rights activist, CAN had reiterated that the killings took place on February 10 and that only 11 people lost their lives. Likewise, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Shehu Sani of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) spoke in same manner. Elsewhere, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) had accused the governor of promoting violence through hate speech.
Significantly, Governor El Rufai, Major General Faruk Yahaya, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1stMechanised Division, Police Commissioner Ahmed AbdurRahman and Mr A.I Koya, the Kaduna Director of State Security Service(SSS), visited the area on Saturday, February 17, 2019. After going round the crime scene, the GOC had fielded questions from journalists, including a television crew. Point blank, General Yahaya said that his men had recovered 66 corpses after the attack. By his explanation, the GOC had reiterated what El Rufai had told a bewildered nation. However, the controversy has not been put to rest in spite of this corroboration. This is rather unfortunate.
Specifically, in their quest for alternative facts, a group of Abuja-based journalists were sponsored to Kajuru to discredit the report. Accordingly, they spoke to various respondents and the news sources revealed that there were indeed two attacks. First, Ungwar Barde was attacked and 11 people were killed from February 10th to the next day. Afterwards, the attack led to a reprisal which claimed more than 66 lives. Somehow, the governor was vindicated but this revelation did not fit into their narrow agenda. So, this aspect of the report was never published by the fact-finding team.
Instead, they rushed to the commissioner of police for an interview, where they put words into his mouth. According to reports, CP AbdurRahman had disowned the governor’s casualty figures but the police boss has denied the story. In a press statement, he had put the records straight and circulated it widely. However, none of the newspapers has published the rebuttal.
Indeed, it is very sad that some people will choose to play politics with the lives of other people. Largely, their disagreements with El Rufai has blinded them on the need to condemn the Kajuru killings or even commiserate with the bereaved. Certain things ought to be beyond politics and human lives should not be treated like mere statistics irrespective of political interests. For this reason, the wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, should be commended for donating relief materials to the survivors of the attacks.
Musa is a member of the Strategic Communication of Kaduna State Chapter of All Progressives Congress(APC) Campaign Council
