Nigeria Senate on Tuesday rejected report on the Southern
Kaduna crisis.
The upper legislative arm said it turned down the report for
“lack of depth”.
The Senate had in January set up an ad hoc committee to
investigate the causes of the crisis which killed hundreds of people and
displaced millions in Southern Kaduna.
The Senate had condemned the incident that led to the death
of many, and the destruction of 53 villages; injuring of 57 people, where farm
produce worth about N5.5 billion destroyed and 1,422 houses and 16 churches
allegedly razed by herdsmen.
Senate set-up the committeefollowing a motion sponsored by
Senator Danjuma La’ah (PDP, Kaduna South).
In his presentation, Senator La’ah said: “The Senate notes
that since 2011, various communities in Southern Kaduna senatorial district of
Kaduna State have been consistently attacked by herdsmen, resulting in deaths,
injuries, loss of property and displacement of the communities.”
According to him, since December 23, 2016, communities of
Ambam, Gaska, Dangoma, Tsonje, Pasankori, Gidan Waya and Farin Gada of Iama’a
and Kaura councils have been under attack by the herdsmen.
“In the last one year, we have witnessed a harvest of
killings by these marauding herdsmen with several cases of massacre in Agatu,
Benue State; Uzo Uwani, Enugu State, with several attacks in Taraba, Delta and
Edo states, to mention a few.”
Following a recommendation by the Deputy President of the
Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, that the motion should not be debated so as to
avoid bad blood, additional contributions were not accommodated.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said: “We condemn in
totality the depravity being exhibited on the streets of Kafanchan.
“This Senate will not pay lip service to it, neither will it
sit idly by and watch innocent Nigerians being slaughtered on the basis of
their religion, ethnic group or political persuasion.”
By Wale Odunsi
