The Kaduna State Peace Commission (KSPC) has disclosed that the State recorded zero conflict in the year 2024.
This was as the Commission also noted that in the year under review there were no single record of conflict between herders and farmers, zero politically-induced violence and no record of violent confrontation from chieftaincy disputes or boundary matters.
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Sale Momale, who made the disclosure on Sunday during the Internal Reflections Meeting jointly organised by the Commission and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), declared the ougoing year 2024 as peaceful and free from all kinds of violence.
He reiterated that throughout year 2024, Kaduna State did not witness a single violence associated with disputes over territorial boundary either between two communities, LGA against LGA, or between the State and neighbouring State.
“We salute and appreciate the people of Kaduna State for making this possible, including our various stakeholders that have worked very hard to make this a practical reality,” he stated.
He, however, noted that the major challenge in terms of peace and security is the activities of criminal groups and gangs, and believed these are national and regional dilemma which the worst affected States in the country are in the North-West geopolitical zone of the country.
“We want to see Kachia, Kajuru, Kagarko, Chikun and few affected parts of Jaba, Sanga, and Zangon-Kataf local government areas cleared of this menace,” he noted.
He urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’tul Nasir Islam (JNI), and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to join the Commission in campaigning for an end to banditry in the six LGAs of Kachia, Kajuru, Kagarko, Chikun, parts of Zangon-Kataf, Jema’a, Jaba, Sanga and few parts of Kaura all in Southern Kaduna.
He noted that the authorities have succeeded in bringing all the aggrieved groups from the pastoral side and the farming side together to work together collectively.
“So, instead of the security forces fighting unknown criminal gangs, now there will be defined targets, and defined enemies. Some of the occurrences in places like Tudun Biri would not happen again because the communities are united, working in tandem with security agencies, and also work hand-in-hand with the Kaduna State Government to face the criminal groups,” he added.
According to Dr. Momale, the initiative would define the fight in 2025 after isolating the criminal groups in the three critical LGAs of Igabi, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa because in some of the areas, it’s difficult to separate the innocent community groups from the pure criminal gangs.
“Let’s replicate these areas affected by threats of gangsterism, criminal banditry and some Islamic extremist groups in part of Birnin Gwari especially in parts of Niger State that adjoined Kaduna State.”
In a separate remarks, the Secretary of the State chapter of the CAN, Reverend Caleb Ma’aji, and Secretary of the JNI, Malam Ibrahim Kufena, respectively, commended the Commission for its efforts in ensuring peace in the State.
Similarly, the Director General of the Kaduna State Bureau for Interfaith, Barrister Tahir Umar Tahir, appreciated the KSPC for the wonderful job done in the year 2024.
