Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) at the weekend said a community allegedly paid Fulani militia N3 million to enable them spend Christmas at home.
The community was chased out of their homes by the militia over a year ago and has since lived in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Spokesman of SOKAPU, Mr. Luka Biniyat, said SOKAPU executive members had visited a Gbagyi community to distribute palliatives when they were told of the humiliating condition of the Kaduna community compelled to pay the militia to celebrate Christmas at home.
“Yesterday, (December 24) SOKAPU took a risky venture and went to Gwagwada, an interior Gbagyi community in Chikun LGA where over 1,600 Gbagyi IDPs from some 12 villages are facing severe food shortages and medical challenges after being chased out from their homes by Fulani militia over a year now.
“With little or no support from government, SOKAPU took palliatives to them, mainly from the General TY Danjuma (rtd) Victim Support Fund (VSP). We also took drugs, clothes and sleeping mats donated by some good spirited persons and churches”, he said.
In a Facebook post, the SOKAPU spokesman said the group was told of the harrowing experience of victims of kidnapping and other crimes.
“We were told of harrowing experiences by freed victims of kidnapping, those who lost love ones and property. We heard of shocking impunity of the invaders and how they collected huge sums from the fleeing farmers to allow them a temporary return to harvest their crops.
“A certain community had to agree to the insulting demand of the killers and paid N3 million for them to spend Christmas in their homes”, he said.
Biniyat stated that “it was the general consensus of all the local leaders of Chikun ward, that their ward was fully in control of the outlaws.
“They still need the assistance of everyone to get by”.
