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President, Southern Kaduna Peoples’ Union (SOKAPU), Jonathan Asake, has decried what he called the indifference of the Federal and Kaduna State governments over the invasion of Southern Kaduna communities and the massacre of the people by ‘Fulani herdsmen terrorists’. He regretted that the state government has the capacity, ideas and understanding of the issues of insecurity plaguing the state, but lacks the political will to deal with it.
In this interview with FRED EZEH, Asake said the state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, perceives some sections and groups in the state as undeserving of his protection.
He expressed fears that President Muhammadu Buhari might not hand over a united country to his successor in May next year, even as he pooh-poohed the Miyetti Allah leader, Bodejo, over his claims that the Fulani people are the greatest victims of banditry in Nigeria.
What has been going on in Southern Kaduna communities lately, security-wise?
You are asking what has been going on? The same old story! The invasion of our communities and the massacre of our defenceless people by Fulani herdsmen terrorists has resumed and continued with much severity. For instance, in the early hours of Monday, the 31st of January 2022, two Atyap communities – Kurmin Masara and Atag Mawei in Zangon Kataf Local Government area came under heavy attacks by these killer herdsmen. Twenty-two people were massacred and over 15 houses and other property were razed down. On Tuesday, the 1st of February 2022, the attackers returned to the same communities and killed five people and burnt down more houses and property. Our communities are being terrorized regularly without respite.
Any you saying there are no improvements in the Fulani herdsmen and farmers’ relationship?
I have maintained a position that there is no longer any such thing as Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash anymore in our communities. What we have these days is unprovoked and premeditated attacks on vulnerable and defenceless communities. Agreed, there used to be what is traditionally referred to as farmers and herders’ clash where a herder’s cattle strays into the farmer’s farm and a disagreement which, often times, lead to physical fight results. The community leaders always settle the feuding parties and compensation are paid where appropriate. But what we have today, however, is a situation where terrorists invade peaceful communities without any prior quarrel with such communities where they kill, maim, rape the women, destroy the crops and food stores, burn down houses, abduct people to demand ransom and occupy the communities. These unprovoked attacks are not the same thing with the traditional farmers and herder’s clashes that we have known. I, therefore, become suspicious of anybody who uses this misleading narrative instead of calling a spade by its real name.
Security is the primary duty of government. How would you rate the Federal Government in this area?
In my opinion, this present All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by President Muhammadu Buhari has left Nigerian citizens in the cold in terms of provision of security going by the spate of mindless massacres across communities in Nigeria, the kidnappings for ransom, forced abductions and all manner of atrocities and crimes against humanity being perpetrated against the Nigerian people. As I’m talking with you now, several communities in Zangon Kataf, Kaura Kauru and Chikun Local Government Areas in Southern Kaduna are under attack by these same Fulani militia that have just been designated terrorists by the government, but you won’t see this news making the headlines in our national media. We are in a state of war I can tell you, and the government of Buhari has failed Nigerians just as governor El-rufai has failed the people of Kaduna state in terms of providing security.
Would you say the state government is helpless in this regard?
No, the state government under Governor Nasiru El-rufai is never helpless. To my mind, El-Rufai does not lack the capacity, ideas or understanding of the issues of insecurity plaguing the state, but he lacks the political will to deal with it. He lacks the will because his mental setting is highly skewed and so he perceives some sections and groups in the state as undeserving of his protection, not minding the fact that it is his constitutional duty to protect all citizens of the state and provide welfare to all. The same thing goes with the Federal Government where people are being massacred on daily basis, not only in Kaduna but also in the neighbouring states of Zamfara, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and many other states in the North-East and Southern Nigeria.
Some say the FG and state government have been pampering these people. Do you agree?
Of course it’s very obvious. Did you notice how long it took the Federal Government, under tremendous pressure, to designate these Fulani militia that have challenged the sovereignty of Nigeria on several occasions as terrorists, even when they were declared so by a Federal High Court? Certainly they are being pampered. These are people that have committed unimaginable atrocities against the Nigerian people and very heinous crimes against humanity, but none has been brought to justice. Unfortunately, the same Federal Government under Buhari was quick to designate IPOB as a terrorist organisation. What a double standard! I weep for Nigeria and the kind of nepotistic and self-centred leaders we are saddled with today.
What would you recommend as the lasting solution to these unending crises?
A nation is a reflection of the type of leadership it produces. Good leaders will make a nation great and bad leaders destroy a nation to its very foundation. This is what we have today. To get good leaders in a democracy, it starts with the electoral process where the votes of the people count. If votes are counted, it won’t matter where a leader comes from, or his religion, tribe, race, ethnicity or region. All that will matter is competence, capacity and credibility. This is why it is important that the amended Electoral Bill before Mr President needs to be signed as quickly as possible. It provides for, among many other things, the electronic transmission of results, which will ensure credibility of the process.
Politics of 2023 is dominating the air in Nigeria. There are controversies on where the president should come from between the Southern and the Northern parts of the country. What’s your view on zoning?
As President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), I’ve aired my views and the views of my people severally on this issue. Any sane and rationally-minded person should know that power needs to shift back, in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness, to the Southern part of this country after the eight years of Buhari’s presidency who is a northerner.
Although, I have heard some selfish and eclipse-minded people argued that the eight years of Buhari as northerner are for APC and not the PDP or other parties. How wrong this argument is? The party is just a vehicle that takes one to leadership positions but does not change the identify. So whether APC, PDP or any other party, at the end of eight years, Buhari, a Northerner must have had his two terms in office and power needs to shift back to the South.
Will SOKAPU endorse or support any candidates?
After Buhar’s eight years like I said earlier, SOKAPU insists that power should go back to the South, specifically to the South East or South-South in the spirit of justice, fairness and equity.
What’s your advice to those already coming out like Tinubu, Atiku, Bala Mohammed, Okorocha, Umahi etc?
They should be more patriotic and committed to the peace, stability and progress of the country despite their individual ambitions.
Miyetti Allah, the Fulani socio-cultural group, said their people are the greatest victims of banditry, that they are always killed in the forests where they say. They say the government has not been protecting them. Do you agree?
It is not true. They know they are being economical with the truth. The real victims are those innocent and defenceless people in those communities in the country that are being attacked, massacred, maimed, kidnapped for ransom, their farmlands, crops, foodstuffs and property destroyed, their homelands forcefully taken over and occupied, and most of these are still living in dehumanizing conditions in displaced persons camps with no help coming from the government. These are the real victims. The Fulani bandits are the aggressors rather, and are being pampered by the government of the day.
Do you think state police can solve some of these security challenges?
Not really. In some states it will solve the problem while in others it will worsen the situation due to our culture of institutionalized bigotry, chauvinism, nepotism and sentimentality. I expressed this fear because while in some states the recruitment into the state police force may follow due process and on merit, other states may be unfortunate to have skewed-minded governors who would insist on recruiting only people of their ethnicity, religion, religious sect or denomination. When this happens, there’s no way you can have justice and fairness with that type of police structure.
There is so much disunity, distrust and deep-seated suspicion among the various ethnic groups in Nigeria. How can these be resolved?
These can only be resolved by having good leaders in place who are patriotic and nationalistic. Leaders who appreciate diversity and see our diversity as a source of strength. Recall that at his swearing-in ceremony in 2015, President Buhari assured Nigerians that he was for everybody and was for nobody”. Nigerians were happy and full of expectations, believing that a leader has emerged that will be just, equitable and fair-minded. Disappointedly, what we are seeing today is a president who has proved himself by all standards of measurement to be an ethnic and religious jingoist whose nepotism and bigotry know no bounds. Since he came on board. he has continued to appoint people of only his religious group and his Fulani ethnic group amidst cries from different sections of the country.
With all the security challenges, incoming political era, and so on, what are your fears for Nigeria?
My greatest fear is whether President Buhari will be a statesman enough and hand over a united Nigeria to a successor the way former President Goodluck Jonathan did to him or he will ensure he becomes the last President of one united Nigeria.
