Catholic Church blames El-Rufai for southern Kaduna killings

The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Rev. Father
Joseph Danlami Bogobiri, has accused Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State of taking sides with herdsmen, who attacked Asso Village in Jema’a Local Government Area 
of the state.

In a statement issued in Kaduna, yesterday evening, Rev.
Father Bogobiri accused the governor of abdicating his
responsibility of being governor to all, and “instead gave in 
to the luxury of waging an unrelenting media campaign against southern Kaduna people.”

But an official of the state government, who spoke with
Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the Bishop was
being unjust in apportioning blames on the governor, who
 was doing everything possible to curtail the southern Kaduna crisis.

In his statement, Bagobiri, who is also the Chairman, 
Southern Kaduna Christian Elders Association, said Governor el-Rufai “unabashedly takes sides with the armed herdsmen, thereby failing in his responsibility as a true statesman, becoming, therefore, a biased umpire who blames and criminalizes southern Kaduna victims as the cause of the mayhem.

“On April 15, 2017, at about 7:00 pm, an attack was
 launched by militias in Asso village, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The attack came when 
the people were in the church for Easter vigil celebration.

“Having presided over the mass burial of at least 10 
Catholics, along with their parish priest, Rev Fr. Alexander Yayock, the following day, I’m by conscience compelled to make the following statements: The attitude of the state government has been marred by lots of complicity and bias which exacerbated rather than ameliorated tensions.”


It’s an unfair allegation—Kaduna govt

But in a swift reaction, an official of the state government
accused the Bishop of being unfair to the governor.

The official, who does not want to be named because 
of the sensitive nature of the matter, said Governor el 
Rufai remained the only candidate, who had presented a detailed programme on how to solve the crisis in the state.

He said rather that advance personal agenda through
provocative statements, the Bishop should join hands 
with the governor by ensuring that a watertight arrangement was put in place to ensure that perpetrators of heinous crimes are brought to book.