N900m paid In 2020 to Kidnappers, As Kaduna Becomes Headquarters of Abductions – SOKAPU
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) on Monday disclosed that relatives of abducted person in Southern Kaduna paid a N900 million in 2020 to secure the release of kidnapped relatives, according record of kidnappings available to the Union.
Speaking during the State of the Nation world press conference in Kaduna, the National President of SOKAPU, Hon Jonathan Asake, declared: “As I address you today, no fewer than 143 communities across our local government areas have been completely displaced, with over 160,000 persons, mostly women and children, now living under very harsh and dehumanizing conditions devoid of food, medication and other necessities of life.
“From reports of kidnappings available to us and the amount of money paid in ransom, our poor, vulnerable and defenceless people in Southern Kaduna have had to cough out over N900 million from January to December 2020 in ransom to these heartless criminals, with many killed when relatives of victims are unable to raise the ransom and at times even when ransom is paid. This undoubtedly has placed Kaduna state as the nation’s capital for kidnappings and abductions”.
On the insecurity ravaging the country, the Union said it feels “gravely concerned, particularly with the spate of insecurity that has ceaselessly engulfed the nation, especially in communities across the Northern and Middle Belt Regions.
“Nigeria as a nation is seriously undergoing severe security challenges as terrorists and criminals who pose as Boko Haram, bandits or kidnappers continue to unleash premeditated and unprovoked attacks on our people and turning our communities into rubbles of devastation and desolation.
“The incessant kidnappings, gruesome massacre and displacement of indigenous people from their homes have continued unabated. Presently, in most of our communities across the 12 local governments in Southern Kaduna, there are reported cases of daily abductions on the road, farms, homes, markets and worship centres where victims have gone through unimaginable torture and relations forced to pay outrageous sums of money as ransom.”
Lamenting on the incapacity of the Federal Government to “tackle these challenges or many at times turn a blind eye to these horrifying atrocities and crimes against humanity”, the Union noted with hopelessness the chances of bringing securing besieged communities.
Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to see the Christmas homily delivered by the Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Dr Matthew Hassan Kukah, as a wake-up call on government to confront the monsters of destruction devastating our nation, SOKAPU recalled that, “This is not the first time patriotic citizens and statesmen have raised their voices of concern to draw the attention of our leaders to the need of confronting these insecurity challenges that seek to destroy our nation which appears to have always fallen on deaf ears.”
Reminding Nigerians that a similar concern was expressed by the former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (retd) where he called on communities to rise up and defend themselves, the Union also reiterated that a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and a one-time presidential candidate, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, had “called the attention of Nigerians to the inability of government in tackling insecurity in the country. He further drew the attention of the public to the sad situation where a certain Northern governor was behind the banditry in the region”.
In the words of SOKAPU: “It appears to us, therefore, that comments by Nigerians attract different reactions from the government, depending on the region, ethnicity and religion of the person making such comments. It’s sad to know that when persons of core Northern Muslim extraction criticize government; they are taken as kind words, but when the same statements are made by people of Southern or Middle Belt extraction; they are harassed and tormented and their comments branded as treasonable by government.
“This discriminatory posture of government clearly shows that the Buhari-led administration treats Nigerian citizens differently; some as first class and others considered as second class. If this is not the case, how can one explain a situation where the same comments made by Dr Mailafia attracted ceaseless harassment by security personnel, and a similar comments by the Acting Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Yekini Nabena, did not attract the same reaction.”
SOKAPU also added that, “All that Bishop Kukah is accused of saying against this government had been said by some other people in a more critical manner but never attracted a barrage of condemnation and threats. We note that the Sultan of Sokoto, prominent emirs and the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) had condemned President Buhari over his dismal performance in tackling insecurity in the country, with NEF calling on him to resign. The anger and threats that are being issued against the revered Bishop was never served on the Sultan, emirs and NEF which clearly shows the discriminatory posture of this government.”
Expressing its solidarity with the Bishop and warning those engaged in issuing threats to the erudite Bishop, SOKAPU declared, “As a union, we hold this fact as incontestable, that all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic and religious divides, have the inalienable right to criticise government with the sole intention of promoting inclusivity for all citizens. Those who have threatened Bishop Kukah ought to be arrested and be made to face the full wrath of the law. For the Islamic group that issued out a threat and an ultimatum on the Bishop, we must warn here that nobody has a monopoly of violence and nothing should happen to Bishop Kukah. Those who call on the government to rise up and do their jobs are not criminals; they are patriots who are genuinely interested in the unity and wellbeing of citizens.”
