NIGERIA’s government and that of Kaduna State have done very little to halt the killing, maiming and plundering of communities in Southern Kaduna, North-west Nigeria.

As far back as 2017, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in its report had indicated that Kaduna State is currently enmeshed in a humanitarian crisis.

OCHA had labelled Southern Kaduna as the epicentre of deadly violence with “most of it inflicted by herdsmen on farming communities.”

But the situation in Nigeria’s headquarters of deadly violence is worse today than when OCHA published its report in 2017.

From June 10 to August 21, survivors, community leaders and rights groups said a total of 136 persons have been murdered in unprovoked attacks.

Amnesty International in its August 24, 2020 report said at least 366 people have been killed between January and July 2020 in Southern Kaduna.

“Amnesty International has documented an alarming escalation in attacks and abductions in several states in the north-west and north-central Nigeria since January 2020.

“Worst affected are villages in the south of Kaduna State, where armed men killed at least 366 people in multiple attacks between January and July 2020,” the report stated.

Read more: https://www.icirnigeria.org/investigation-horror-in-southern-kaduna-untold-story-of-endless-massacres-plunder-by-suspected-fulani-militia-part-i/

See thread on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheICIR/status/1301123698397786113

WHO IS INTOLERABLE?*

One Christmas, I killed a goat and gave you the meat. You refused to eat it because the goat was killed by a Christian. At another Christmas, to show my love for you and my deep desire for you to partake on what we eat during Christmas season, I called a Muslim to kill a goat - at this instance you ate the meat - yet I am told I am intolerable as Southern Kaduna (SK)?

To prove my sincerity and depth of love for our friendship, I have even named my son after you, but you will never name your son after me - yet I am told that the SK man is intolerable.

I am denied contracts in my state. When I complain, you tell me I am lazy and depend too much on government handouts, though your entire life is dependent on government and its patronage, yet you tell me I am intolerable?

I am denied admission or given second choice (if lucky), and yet I am being told the SK man is intolerant.

I am denied employment or promotion. If I am employed, my appointment is terminated without the terminal benefits paid as at when due. The Southern Kaduna man is intolerable?

My father has lived in Zaria all his life but his children are denied indigeneship certificate of any local government in Zaria and yet I am told SK man is intolerable.

You are killing me and at the same time accusing my elites of organising the killings. You accuse those who empathise with me of crying more than the bereaved. How tolerable could I be?

Our daughters are sometimes kidnapped, converted to Islam and married off without my permission and yet I am being told I am intolerable.

I cannot marry your daughter because I am a Christian. If I must marry your daughter, I must first convert to Islam, and yet I am told I am intolerable.

You taxed (Jangali taxes) me for years with no regards to my ability to pay and when I could not pay, you took my farm produce or any of my domestic animals. You even fed your domestic animals with my food stuffs. Yet I am told I am intolerable.

You came to Southern Kaduna and have no respect for my culture. I cannot lay claim to any any other part of Nigeria where I reside or live. You are now claiming ownership of the land of my nativity and you are telling the whole world that I am a settler and not indigenous to Southern Kaduna. Yet I am being told I am intolerable.

You stay in your own enclaves in Southern Kaduna and tell me I have to change and be like you, and yet I am told I do not like visitors and I am also intolerable.

The Igbos and Yoruba have made Southern Kaduna home with no issues and yet I am told I am intolerable.

All I have can only be found in Southern Kaduna and if I go to where you come from, I am not even allowed to stay with you. I have to go to Sabon Gari, or Tudun Wada my designated areas but back in Southern Kaduna I am told I am intolerable.

You demand ‘citizenship’ of Southern Kaduna and yet you have no allegiance to land and yet I am told I am intolerable.

When it comes to selection into positions or posts from Southern Kaduna you will favour any one with names like yours. Yet I am told I am intolerable.

Local government delineation has been done in such a way that a Southern Kaduna man or Christian will never win Kaduna South Local Government chairmanship election. Still I am being told I am intolerable.

Senatorial seats delineation has been done in such a way that somebody from Southern Kaduna can’t never win a seat in Zone 1 or 2. Yet I am told that a Southern Kaduna man is intolerable.

You took Lere (Saminaka)which is in Southern kaduna to Senatorial Zone 1 and many political gerrymandering and turned round to say our population is only 30 and yet you say the Southern Kaduna man is intolerable.

Political appointees are all from one section and yet you tell me a Southern Kaduna man is lazy and intolerable.

State and federal resources are focused on only one section of the State and yet you tell me I am intolerable.

Southern Kaduna cannot even get Kaduna State TV signals - we depend on Plateau TV and yet I am being told I am intolerable.

If Southern Kaduna is zoned with FRCN Kaduna which is appropriate, then they must broadcast in one of the major Southern Kaduna languages, such as Jju, Adara, Ham, etc . To get round that, you zoned Southern Kaduna with FRCN Enugu. Can you beat that? As such FRCN Kaduna continues to broadcast in only Hausa, Fufulde and English ignoring the other major anguages in Kaduna State. Yet I am told Southern Kaduna is intolerable.

Someone actually said Southern Kaduna and Northern Kaduna shouldn’t be in one country how much of one State. Culturally we are different and yet Southern kaduna people are being told they are intolerable.

The Southern Kaduna man cannot be VC of ABU a supposed Federal institution it appears, yet I am being told Southern Kaduna are intolerable.

In the early 1970s, Southern Kaduna people opened up Rigasa, a suburb of Kaduna Metropolis, but down the road Southern Kaduna people have been killed and their properties destroyed - those who survived had to relocate to other parts of Kaduna town - I am not sure if there is any Christian or church(es) in Rigasa as at 2020. Yet the Southern Kaduna man is being told he is intolerable.

You abandoned the long existing Kaduna railway main junction and took the terminal railway station to Rigasa with the creation of the Abuja-Kaduna rail line. The old Kaduna railway station is now a dry Port. Yet Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

In the process of imposing Sharia in Kaduna, Miss World contest, Danish cartoon, 2011 election, and many more incidents, the Southern Kaduna man is killed and yet is said to be intolerable.

When Katsina state was excised from Kaduna state, Katsina still keeps an eye on Kaduna. You are still controlling the present Kaduna State, and yet Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

You have two federal ministerial appointments and everybody in top government position is from Northern Kaduna or Katsina and yet Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

I am not allowed to do my business of selling alcohol in some Northern parts and yet you benefit from the VAT where alcohol is sold. Southern kaduna is intolerable?

You changed the names of my languages. For example, Bajju became Kaje, Atyab became Kataf, Ham became Jaba, etc. You even renamed our towns and villages. Our languages are disdained and yet I am told I am intolerable?

State resources are used to promote one religion by funding Arabic Teachers Colleges, with no similar gesture to the Christians, yet Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

You came to Southern Kaduna and we welcomed you. You see every Muslim even from the moon as your brother, but you give me a derogatory name, 'arne' or a non-believer even though Christians are acknowledged in your religion as people of the book.

There is so much greed and wickedness. eg cornered almost all federal institutions in Northern Kaduna and still Southern kaduna man is intolerable.

Cornered federal allocated positions to the state and if you cannot fill it you allocate it to katsina than consider a Southern Kaduna man and yet you say Southern Kaduna man is intolerable.

If Southern Kaduna ask for their fair share, you say they are only 30% of the population of the state - this is a lie - you have manipulated the constituencies to your advantage that one can only call this rigging at source. Yet, Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

Southern Kaduna built Christian schools which you attended, which you later took over ownership without compensation. When the Southern Kaduna man complains, you say he is intolerable?

You are quick to send condolence messages to other countries who lose the lives of their citizens, but either keep mute or explain away the killings in Southern Kaduna, yet Southern Kaduna is accused of being intolerable.

We are being killed in Southern Kaduna and you keep telling the world that the killing is being organised by Southern Kaduna elites? If you know this, why haven't you arrested them? Yet Southern Kaduna is intolerable?

We are talking about centuries of subjugations and discriminations and physical eliminations of the citizens of Southern Kaduna. Here come some paid megaphone critics now saying we have no reasons to cry? What a sad and a diabolical tale.

This is from a many Decades Southern Kaduna man experience. I will tell you my name but it is not like yours for I wanted you to read this because you would probably not read it if you see that my name is not anything near yours.

Note: Dear reader, the above and many others are the experiences of Southern Kaduna for the past many Decades. Decide whether or not Southern Kaduna people are intolerable.

cc Casimir Biriyok