He believes that it is only when stakeholders are engaged that both parties would dialogue and come up with a workable agenda that will be acceptable to all for lasting peace to be achieved.
Speaking during a visit to the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna state chapter, the Executive Secretary, said, “Hearing what is happening and knowing that the body of Christ is one, and that our roles as religious leaders here in the country, the good thing to do is to engage all stakeholders in the project.”
He condoled the people of the state and what the Church is going through, stressing that it is a tough time what Kaduna people and the body of Christ is going through.
He said, “Nobody needs to tell me, l have passed through it and we are still on it.”
According to him, there is the need to synergies among the various groups in order to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis.
“I am happy with the role you have been playing, keeping quiet will not solve the problem but speaking boldly but still yet with truth and facts is the only way out,” he emphasized.
He explained that one part cannot work, saying, “We cannot leave it for the government alone and the government cannot leave it to us alone while the traditional rulers cannot leave it for us alone.
“It is not the time for blame games but it is time for speaking the truth and when we speak the truth, we live it there. We cannot develop the truth into hatred but let us speak it and let the world know it.”
Responding, the state chairman of CAN, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, said early in the hours of today, villages in Atyap chiefdom in Zangon Kataf local government area lost about 22 people and several houses burnt through a fresh attack by suspected armed Fulani militias.
He added, “This is the kind of thing we have been battling with every day. We have been consoling and assuring them with the hope that ears will listen and action will be taken so that tomorrow will be better, if not, it may end up consuming us.”
Rev. Hayab said issues have to be squarely addressed and not to play games with them if not, he said, “Tomorrow we will have similar situations which may not be in our time.”
He assured the willingness of CAN to work with anybody towards ensuring a lasting solution to the ongoing killings in the area.
“We are busy burying our people and our people are busy mourning every day while the farmlands are being destroyed. The killings must stop. If we want to see any good progress, we must stop all the pretense and stop the killings,” Rev. Hayab observed.
