Kaduna: Between violent clashes and genocide claims

“We in the Kaduna State Government, have always aligned with the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists. We have written letters to the Federal Government since 2017, asking for this declaration because it is the declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in international law. So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support, for the Federal Government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists, so that they will be fair game for our military. This is the view of the Kaduna State Government.”

–Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Governor, Kaduna state

Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna state has consistently voiced his opposition to the sort of treatment the bandits get from the federal government. He does so because his state is at the receiving end of the consequences of attacks by outlaws that the federal government prefers to window-dress as bandits. The above quote was taken from a speech the governor delivered on October 22 during the presentation of the Kaduna State Security Incidents Report for the Third Quarter of 2021. The report, a copy of which I have read, highlights the trend of insecurity in the state and helps the government to better manage the situation. The quotation above, therefore, is more of expression of frustration occasioned by the federal government’s decision not to speak to bandits “in the language they understand”. For this reason, Kaduna and her people suffer.

The security report found that in the third quarter of 2021, Kaduna state lost 343 persons to activities of bandits, communal clashes, violent attacks and reprisals. Of these number 271 were males, 50 were women while 22 were minors below the age of 18 years. The trend showed that 193 people lost their lives violently in Southern Kaduna district, with about 114 recorded on three local government areas of Zango Kataf, Kaura and Kauru. Kaduna Central recorded 130 of such killings with Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru local government areas posting 125 of these. According to the report, Kaduna North was more peaceful, relatively, with 20 violent deaths recorded.

On the kidnap index of the state, the report found that 830 persons were kidnapped in the third quarter of the year with Kaduna Central recording 732 kidnap incidences and, mostly in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru council areas while Southern Kaduna returned 51 kidnap cases more than half of which occurred in Kachia LGA. Kaduna north recorded 47 kidnap cases with 16 of them occurring in Zaria LGA. Of the 830 that were kidnapped during the period, 222 were women while 179 were minors.

During the same period also, 10 rape cases were recorded in the state with eight of the victims being minors. Of these 10 cases, five was recorded in Kaduna north while the rest were shared between Kaduna south and Kaduna central. The number of people in Kaduna, injured doe to banditry, communal clashes, reprisal attacks and other forms of violent attacks was 210. While 122 of such was recorded in Kaduna central, 67 occurred in Southern Kaduna and, 21 in Kaduna north. Most notorious local government areas here are Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Igabi and Zango Kataf. On the animal rustling index, Kaduna state recorded a total of 1,018 reported cases of animal rustling with 780 animals stolen in Kaduna central district. Giwa LGA alone, accounts for 390 of these figures.

The issue here however, is not just about the number of victims. While the figure may incite some reactions against the state, the real import of this trend is seen in the economy of the state. For an agrarian state like Kaduna, the insecurity trend means a whole lot of headache of the governor and his governance team. While the insecurity index means that more farmers are staying off their farms, there are also indications that crops have been destroyed as a consequence of animal rustling. The report indicates that “there were 77 reports received relating to destruction of crops across the state”. It added a proviso saying “the report could be higher, taking unreported cases into account”.

This is where El-Rufai grows more grey hairs because one sure effect of these destructions is suspicion leading to tension and possibly, violent clashes. When these happen, El-Rufai has to think out ways of managing the effects as they relate to crop and financial losses, food insecurity, threat to education, collapse of rural economy and, threat to social cohesion. To address this, El-Rufai said “we have a Riot Damage and Compensation Fund for those who are affected from 2016. I am therefore directing the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to draw from the Riot Damage Fund, to pay all those affected, up to, and including this year.” Beyond this, he thinks of a non-conventional approach. He made a call: “I call for a consensus between the Federal Government and the 36 states on an emergency programme of recruitment into the security agencies. Government can change the game significantly by hiring 1,000 willing youths from each of the 774 LGAs in the country into the security agencies. This will be a surge in numbers that is unprecedented since the civil war. An influx of 774,000 new boots on the ground will be a significant blow against criminals and an employment boost.” But, is FG listening?

Well, while his first approach provides some succor to victims, the overall interest of the people of Kaduna state is a more peaceful environment for all. I guess this is why El-Rufai has pushed for the revitalization of a military-era creation to help manage differences that could lead to violent conflict. According to the governor “I would also like to inform the security agencies as well as the traditional leaders here, that we are in the process of establishing a Farmers/Herdsmen Reconciliation Council at the State level as well as similar Committees at the Local Government and Chiefdom and Emirate levels. This is backed by a law, a military edict, enacted in the 1990s. But somehow, we didn’t come across the law until recently. So, we are activating these Committees to help in managing clashes between farmers and herdsmen at all levels.” Good move? Time will always tell, says Jimmy Cliff.

Overall, the security report is a positive signal from the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs led by Samuel Aruwan for its consistency in monitoring and reporting on the security challenges in the state and changing the trajectory of the narrative thus, helping the state government and security agencies to address them. Through these reports, the causes of violent killings in the state are established. They also question claims of genocidal acts in parts of the state and create the context a better understanding of the issues. Perhaps, states of Nigeria would be the better for it if state government genuinely work to address insecurity through studies like this without covering anything.

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