Southern Kaduna Killings: Collect The Money, But Say The Truth – Rev. Hayab

BY SIMON REEF MUSA, KADUNA – The Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Joseph John Hayab, on Sunday advised those engaged in spreading false narratives on Southern Kaduna killings to collect the money from the state government, but should stand by the truth at all times.

Speaking during the 2nd Black Sunday organised by CAN Kaduna chapter to seek divine intervention on the killings in Kaduna State, mostly the southern axis, the cleric expressed disappointment with people, most of them Christian clerics, in succumbing to greed to change narratives over the killings in Southern Kaduna state.
He called on religious leaders to stand by the truth even when they collect envelopes from government.
“I once got a call to nominate 12 pastors from CAN whom I was told were to join another set of pastor for a meeting, possibly with government. I instantly rejected it. I will not nominate any member of CAN to attend a meeting that the leadership of CAN does not know anything about.
“Of course, if government calls you and you want to go, please go. But don’t allow the envelope they give you to sway you into saying something that is not true,” the CAN advised.
Hayab said that due to false narratives over killings in Kaduna state, especially in the southern part, proffered solutions are always faulty.
“If you go to the doctor and you did not tell him the truth of what is ailing you, he is likely to prescribe the wrong medications for you. So, for us to ensure we get effective solutions, we must ensure we get the right narrative,” he said.
He challenged Governor el-Rufai to rise up to the challenge of providing quality leadership to not only the one part of the state, but to all of Kaduna state, including the southern axis.
“It is surprising that despite the killings in Southern Kaduna, el-Rufai would choose to visit Edo state on a campaign trail than attend the victims of Southern Kaduna Killings,” he lamented.
The CAN Chairman made it clear that clerics across religious divide had always maintained a cordial relationship. He noted that what was plaguing the state was absence of sincere leadership that will do the right thing.

According to Hayab, “From 2002 to 2011, we had uninterrupted peace before the unfortunate post-2011 crisis that led to a return of violence in the state. How and why was the state able to maintain peace? We should go back and learn from the past so that our state will experience peace again.”
He accused the state government under Governor el-Rufai of not being consistent on the issue of settler-indigene dichotomy.
“During a meeting with Southern Kaduna traditional rulers just last week, the governor requested our monarchs to accept everyone as indigene. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, we saw Kaduna State Government transporting almajirai out of state to their states of origin. If indeed they were indigenes of Kaduna state, why did the state government take these street kids out of Kaduna to their states of origin? Since the governor had earlier declared there was no difference between indigene and non-indigenes, was it not proper to deploy state resources to take care of them?” Hayab queried.