Southern Kaduna: Government Insists Violence Is Not A Religious Conflict

Contrary to the news and rumors being spread around, the Kaduna State government has described as untrue the attacks in the southern part of the state is an orchestrated plot against Christians. The state government maintained that the attacks are being carried out by some armed bandits that have been terrorising some states in the northern region.

The government also cautioned religious and political leaders to desist from making inflammatory comments that are capable of worsening the crisis in the southern part of the state, where suspected armed bandits have been attacking communities in recent time. The government warned that such statements coming from men of God are capable of plunging the state and the country into a religious war.

The Kaduna state deputy governor, Bala Bantex who gave the warning at the end of the State Security Council meeting, said that the law will descend on any religious leader found guilty of making provocative statements or inciting people into violence. Mr Bantex while condemning statements by some religious leaders outside Kaduna state, asking Christians to take up arm and attack their Muslim counterparts whenever they come close to them, appealed to Religious leaders to preach peace and love to their members and also support government and security agencies towards restoring peace in Southern Kaduna.

The state government also directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute the masterminds of the attacks and any individual or group that incites the citizens to take laws into their hands. He explained that government has demonstrated total commitment to the restoration of peace in Southern Kaduna, by ensuring that troops are deployed to the troubled areas and also ensuring that Internally Displaced Persons are brought back to their homes for them to start their normal life.

Source: Channels TV