Adara Community has lambasted Kaduna State Government for what it called ‘failure to arrest the criminals responsible for killings in six consecutive attacks’ on villages in Kajuru and Kachia local government areas.
The community under the auspices of Adara Development Association (ADA) lamented despite six attacks on different Adara villages with hundreds killed and thousands displaced, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has arrested their ‘sons’, while none of ‘the killers’ has been arrested.
ADA, in a statement on Monday, accused of arresting and keeping its members in detention wrongfully, instead of apprehending those responsible for killing them.
The statement by National Assistant Secretary, of the Association, Barr. Waziri Luka explained: “The unfortunate crisis that erupted in Kajuru Local Government provided an opportunity for statesmanlike conduct to flourish from the consciousness of those with the responsibility of dispensing not just justice but good governance. But what we got instead was an aberration.
“Our leaders were arrested, locked up in police cells and later transferred to the Kaduna Prison under bogus and ludicrous charges.
“And despite six attacks on different Adara villages happening after their arrests, despite hundreds killed and thousands displaced, none of the killers has been arrested. None. This is despite all the attacks happening for hours in daylight.
“Adara chiefs from different villages in Kajuru were invited and arrested. But none from those attacking our communities have even been questioned or detained. None!
“Our governor who was quick to reel out statistic himself to the media has probably not seen that Karamai, Ungwan Barde, Dogon noma, Kymara and Ungwan Gora villages have all been attacked and burnt down to the ground.
“When will he also speak for us? Aren’t we humans too, aren’t we also part of those he swore to protect? Why this unfair and partial treatment to us as a people? Why.
“A government that is anchored on the principle of economic, social and environmental justice, that glories on the noble pursuit of strengthening the institutions of justice is missing in the Adara crisis.
“Justice has been rubbished in pursuit of a sponsored hegemonic enthronement. The result: the one-sided perception of justice simply got pronounced in its odoriferous fetidness.
“Today makes it almost 31 days that our leaders, elders and chiefs of the Adara nation were indiscriminately arrested in a blatant, injurious and a one-sided reckless abuse of state power never envisaged under a democratic government in Kaduna State.
“The blindfold on Lady Justice depicting impartiality and objectivity in the application of justice has been removed – on the Adara people.
“The unfortunate aspect is that political and religious considerations have made so many to even turn their backs on the carnage taking place in our villages.
“Apart from coping with our leaders in prison, we are also digging mass graves to bury our dead, running up and down to provide for the thousands of our displaced ones and tending to those in hospitals. In all these, the state government is not bothered but bent on appeasing the killers while they kill us.
“We insist that our leaders are innocent and should be released. We reiterate the fact the Kaduna state government is engaged in a punitive exercise to simply humiliate, punish and ensure the destruction of the Adara nation.
“It should be noted that peace cannot thrive where there is injustice. It is even worse when those in authority openly display a corrosive bias in favour of those they consider as theirs.”
The Adara people called for urgent steps to be taken to address the challenges facing the over 3,000 displaced people whose homes and everything they laboured for was destroyed.
“Many others who sustained injuries from gunshots and machete cuts are in the different hospitals across the state,” they lamented.
Leaders of Adara people in prison, according to the statement, are Engr. Bawa Magaji, Wazirin Adara, acting Agom Adara, arrested on 16th February and retired Commissioner of Police, Mr Sani Magaji, the Baradan Adara, arrested on 19th February (27 days today).
Others were Awemi Dio Maisamari, National President of the Adara Development Association arrested on 16th February; Mr Joseph Abdullahi, National Treasurer, ADA; Mr Tanko Maisamari, village head of Maro.
Others include Mr. Hosea Danladi, Village Head Ungwan Gamo, Mr Joseph Ayuba, Village Head of Kutura, Mr Tanko Wada, Village head of Ayuba and Mr. Ulu Maitumbi, elder Ungwan Barde village.