Southern Kaduna: Feuding communities in Zango Kataf sign peace pact, forgive killings

The Atyap, Fulani and Hausa communities in Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Saturday 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, and 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 agreeing 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, a retired air vice Marshall, and Salim Umar, represented the Atyap Chiefdom’s attempt to bring its communities together and stop the bloodshed and destruction of property.

The communique issued after the meeting 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 meeting “appreciated the fact that all Nigerians have the the constitutional or fundamental right to move and reside anywhere in Nigeria, including Atyap Chiefdom, without any fear, molestation or harassment from anybody or any source whatsoever.”

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.”

News of this joint resolve for peace comes hours after the Kaduna State Government reduced curfew hours in Zangon Kataf and Kauru LGAs, citing serious efforts at rapprochement between the conflict communities.