Southern Kaduna killings: Buratai lays foundation stone of military formation in Kafanchan

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, on Saturday in Kafanchan laid the foundation stone for an army Operational base.

The development is in a bid to ensure swift response to attacks in Southern Kaduna.

Buratai said the Army was in Southern Kaduna to restore peace and would not take sides while discharging its responsibility.

While assuring that the Forward Operation Base would be ready in the next three months, the Chief of Army Staff said his men will not spare any trouble maker, no matter how highly or lowly placed the person is.

According to him, “‘We are not going to spare anyone that is fomenting trouble in the area no matter his standing.”

The Army Chief, who had earlier paid courtesy visits to the Chief of Kagoro, Ufuwai Bonet and Emir of Jema’a, Alh Muhammadu Isah Muhammadu at their respective palaces, said he was equally in Southern Kaduna to meet with his officers and men who had been deployed to the area to ensure peace.

According to him, “Anywhere that my troops were sent to maintain peace, it is part of my schedule to visit them and see how they are carrying out their statutory functions in line with rules of engagement.

“The present crisis is coming to an end. Now, we have restored normalcy in the troubled areas. People have started coming back to their homes.

“I was in Ninte this morning. I saw the farmers and the Fulani. I spoke with them on the need to live in peace with one another.

“You can’t separate the farmers and the herdsmen. They have a long history of co-existence. So, they must live together. The better they live together the better for them and everyone.”

Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony of the military formation, Governor El-Rufai said that the state government would provide the army with a temporary facility for immediate take-off of the Forward Operation Base pending the completion of the permanent site.

He equally assured that the state government would immediately commence survey of the site, with a view to quickly issue its Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the army authority.

He vowed that his government would fish out those behind the Southern Kaduna killings and make sure they go to prison.

According to him, the recent unrest in Southern Kaduna was the 11th in series since 1980. He lamented that nobody had been prosecuted either for the killings or destruction of property.

He, however, vowed that, the crisis would cease to occur, as his government will ensure that those behind the recent incidents go to the prison.

In their separate remarks ,the Chief of Kagoro, Ufuwai Bonet and Emir of Jema’a, Alh Muhammadu Isah Muhammadu thanked the military for their presence, saying though the incessant attacks and killings were gradually disappearing, there were still isolated attacks by the hoodlums.

They commended President Buhari for deeming it fit to approve the setting up of military formations in the area, saying such a move would improve the security situation in the area.

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