Residents of Kaduna State have continued to express their worries about politically-related acts of violence in the State, with some of them putting the blame on Governor Ramalan Yero.
This follows the latest round of mayhem in the town of Zaria, where supporters of Yero, allegedly vandalized campaign materials of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the weekend.
Recently, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, expressed concern over tensions in Kaduna, after it was listed as one of the three states in the country where incidences of violence have been on the rise.
Equally, residents say that violent incidents have been recorded in places such as in Lere, Kubau, and Zaria local government areas, as well as at Bakin Ruwa area in the Kaduna metropolis where two people were shot dead by security operatives during one of the Yero campaign trips in February.
DAILY POST recalls that in January, Yero was quoted as directing his supporters, at the opening of his campaign, to carry out swift “revenge” if ever attacked by any one “born of woman”.
“If you are born of a woman, please pelt us with stones, when we go out for campaigns. We dare you to destroy or burn our vehicles. Burn our House,” the governor said.
“I swear by Allah, anyone who does any of these things, we will revenge,” he was quoted as saying in Hausa.
Although Yero denied making the statement, other sources insist that the governor indeed threatened violence.
Yero’s response goes thus: “My love for peaceful coexistence in spite of provocations could be why some were saying that I am too patient to a fault. I have never made any provocative statement, despite the fact that I’ve been insulted on Facebook and in other places. Those working with me, I everyday admonish them on the need for peace.”
Speaking on the spate of violence lately, a resident of Malali, Kaduna, Usman Shehu, said some comments made by Governor Yero might have incited some violent actions.
According to him, there was a need to be concerned about the kind of advisers Yero listens to.
“Some of the comments by Governor Yero are unguarded. I believe this can be linked to his advisers,” Shehu said.
“Yero as a leader needs to be careful. Certainly, his advisers are not good. He needs to get people who have experience, mature minds, who will advise him on issues that have to do with leadership.
“A governor is not meant to come out and issue threat. All political parties are under him as governor so he should treat everyone in all the parties as his people”.
Daniel Ishaya Dabo, a lecturer, too believes that Yero does not have credible advisers.
“I don’t think he has people who advise him, because for a governor to talk the way he does, it means he has been misinformed”.
He stated further that Yero’s comments had served to embolden his supporters to engage in acts that had resulted in violence.
“I think most of his comments have incited and emboldened people to act the way they do. I think he is ill-informed and there is also the issue of lack of experience.
“This is because when you are in leadership position, you are not supposed to speak in some ways since you are for the generality of the people.
“Or how else would Yero explain his ‘violence for violence’ call?
“I think he has lost the trust of the people by his comments because his comments are not expected of somebody who is the chief security of the state and who is in charge of every law-abiding citizen.
“So I find his statement inciting. It gives a very wrong signal to whoever is listening because it is like he is already premeditating actions that should not be linked to a state governor.”
Also, Ibrahim Baba Shani who resides in Zaria is of the opinion that many around the Governor Yero are there for what they would get and nothing more.
“Many of those around Yero are not there to advise him with sincerity but because of what they can get. It is all about what they can eat.
“I heard he denied making violent statements but he’s lying, he said so.
“We know some who are supposed to be close to him but are thugs. Such people are not credible and they cannot offer him any credible counsel”, Shani said.
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