Interfaith Forum calls on govt. to show effort in mitigating killings in Nigeria

The Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP), on Thursday called on the state and Federal government to genuinely show more efforts in mitigating the killings in the country.

Bishop Sunday  Onuoha, Co-Chairman of the Forum, who made the call at a news conference in Abuja stressed that government must be proactive and increase intelligence framework for efficiency and  early response.

Onuoha added that government should partner the local community members such as the vigilance groups to create a safe space for the citizens in the affected communities and in the entire Kaduna State.

According to Onuoha, they are saddened by the waves of violent conflicts in Kaduna state, most especially in Kajuru, Zangon Kataf, Kaura, Birnin Gwari, Chikun,  among other local government areas affected by wanton killings.

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“Recently the State witnessed another wave of violence; coupled with the extent of insecurity of lives of the citizens, which has taken a diverse shape, as in hate speeches, banditry activities, kidnappings, crop and livestock farmers conflicts, with a dimension of violent extremism in the nature of killings meted on the people, most especially in the rural areas.

“The IDFP sees the violence in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country as a factor associated with the extent of insecurity, which affected all aspects of human survival.

“We seek and plead with the Federal government, Kaduna State government and all stakeholders to ensure that they do the needful to protect the lives of people.

”Seeing the inhuman treatment by fellow human-beings to humanity and lack of open justice, that had greatly affected lives in all its ramifications,” he said.

IDFP lamented that the killings  had resulted to shortage of food productions due to the level of insecurity on the farms, homes and increase in the rate of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).

“This has further affected job opportunities, coupled with health-related challenges affecting the vulnerable young girls and women, whose fates are determined by the reality on ground, thereby exposing them to rape, domestic violence and lack of access to education.

”All these have compounded the situation and hence endangering their lives and those of their children.

“We are using this medium to plead to all the people affected by the violence to ensure fairness and openness in resolving the immediate challenges within communities.

”Furthermore, we are calling on all the affected communities and family members to give a level of compromise, allowing peace to reign, and to shun all manner of hatred by embracing the culture of true love and friendship.

“Security agencies should be professional in the discharge of their duty when it comes to saving lives, while calling on communities to support them in their task to protect the citizens and bring normalcy.

”We are aware that there are communities where women and children are abandoned without any support.

“We recommend an urgent attention of the state government by proving them with food, shelter and medical assistance.

”We are, therefore, calling on all relevant stakeholders and government agencies to put in place all the necessary measures to curb the menace of violent attacks in communities in the affected areas and other parts of the State, by arresting and prosecuting those found breaching the peace in the state,” he said.

Onuoaha added that security agencies should be professional in the discharge of their duties when it comes to saving lives.”

The forum called on communities to support the security operatives in their task to protect the citizens and bring normalcy.

“We are also aware that there are communities where women and children are abandoned without any support.

“We recommend an urgent and immediate attention of the state government, by proving them with food, shelter and medical assistance,” he said.