The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who were displaced as a result of the crisis that recently bedeviled Nigeria’s northwestern Southern Kaduna, has showered encomium on the Joint Military Task Force otherwise known as Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), for bringing relief materials to ameliorate their situation in a make-shift camp.
The IDPs who were elated to see men in uniform donating food items and sanitary wares, said their hope is rekindled in the mist of untold hardship faced in the camp.
Their hope was further built when the Taskforce Commander, Maj. Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, assured them that their stay as IDPs will soon be short-lived, as discussions are ongoing to resettle them back to their villages.
“We are holding peace talk with relevant stakeholders from your communities and very soon we will return you all back to your villages with adequate security.
“The gesture you see today is our efforts through Civil Military Relations from the Defence Headquarters”, the Army boss said.
Earlier, Okonkwo had addressed youths at a summit tagged ‘Peace and Reconciliation’ held at Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the State.
While speaking at the summit he charged stakeholders to put an end to the circle of violence, adding that tolerance is a vital tool to peace.
“This conflict is bedeviled with ethnic dimension, but sheath your sword and make conscious efforts to see each other as one.
“We also solicit for accurate and timely information to enable us respond promptly during attacks”, Okonkwo said.
The palliatives were distributed to two separate IDPs, one to the natives and the other to the Fulani’s all in Zangon Kataf LGA.
Meanwhile A fresh ray of hope emerged Saturday evening from Zangon-Kataf LGA in Southern Kaduna where the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities held a successful peace and reconciliation summit.
Participants in the summit condemned the killings and destruction that have occurred and resolved to forgive each other, help security agencies with information to arrest and prosecute criminal elements.
The summit, appreciated the government for deploying security forces and commended youths from the various communities for their symbolic embrace and agreement not to mount roadblocks anywhere in the chiefdom.
The meeting, held under the auspices of His Highness, the Agwatyap, Dominic Gambo Yahaya, brought together the three communities in a peace summit held at the Mariyamu and Yakubu Event Centre in Ungwan Wakili. The summit, co-chaired by AVM Stephen Shekari (rtd) and Dr. Salim Umar, represented the Atyap Chiefdom’s attempt to bring its communities together and stop the bloodshed and destruction of property.
The communique was signed by representatives of the Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities, the co-chairs and His Highness the Agwatyap. In a 14-point, resolution, the summit called on all residents of Atyap Chiefdom not to take laws into their hands and instead submit all grievances to the lawful authorities.
The summit therefore called on the authorities to facilitate the return of displaced persons. It “recommended the establishment of a standing peace committee that should comprise of Hausa, Fulani and Atyap and their youth to organise robust engagement/dialogue on security issues from time to time with a view to sustaining peaceful coexistence.”
The peace meeting came hours after the Kaduna State Government reduced curfew hours in Zangon Kataf and Kauru LGAs, citing serious efforts at rapprochement between the conflict communities.