Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, says previous
administrations in the state used to pay some of the leaders who allegedly
organise killings.
El-Rufai said he “will not appease criminals” and continue
the practice, vowing to prosecute those fingered in the killings in southern
Kaduna.
Speaking during a Channels Television programme, the
governors said the leaders usually get “brown envelopes” from previous
governments before the killings were stopped.
Despite continued deployment of security operatives in
southern Kaduna, the area has continued to suffer attacks by suspected bandits
with pockets of clashes between ethnic groups.
Amid the security challenges, some stakeholders have accused
the governor of not doing enough and also taking sides in the situation.
But when he spoke during the TV programme, el-Rufai said
some of the leaders in southern Kaduna are aggrieved because he stopped the
purported payment to them.
“Most of the people saying that have no means of livelihood
were living off the governments. The governments before us were paying them
money every month, they called it peace money. We stopped it. This is why they
say I am taking sides,” he said.
“Whatever they say, I take it. I am the governor of the
state. If they don’t abuse me, who will they abuse Anyone that is moderate or
promoting peaceful co-existence between various ethnic groups is considered a
sellout.
“And for a governor like me who does not appease them
because they are used to being appeased, they cause troubles, they organise
these killings and then, their leaders are invited by the governor, they wine
and dine and they are given brown envelopes. That’s what they have been doing
for 20 years.
“And we came into office and we said no more, nobody who
does not encourage peaceful co-existence will have access to the governor or
the government house. I have no time for them.
“I have no time for nonsense. I will not appease criminals.
I will not appease idle people who have nothing to do but to raise a spectre of
genocide. They do that to get money into their bank accounts and get donations
from abroad instead of standing up.”
The governor added that he is using the security agents to
“carefully mark” the leaders indicted in the insecurity in the area, adding
that the state will prosecute them “when we accumulate enough evidence.”
“They have come up with other things because the money they
got during the election is exhausted and they can say whatever they want to
say, he said, adding that “I will not appease troublemaker.”
“I will not tolerate people that incite. I will map them, we
will arrest and prosecute them, that’s my style, I obey the rule of law.”
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
What of the once u paid to stop killing.
ReplyDelete