Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai has referred to as “misleading”, reports of land grabbing incidents in the current crisis rocking the state
The Voice of Nigeria reports that he addressed this at a meeting held by the State Emirate Council in the capital, Kaduna.
He mentioned that, part of the misleading narrative on the current crisis is the false claim of genocide and land grabbing that were made without being backed up with facts even during the 2016-2017 crisis.
“As Governor, I authorise any traditional ruler to please tell the media about any inch of land within their domain that has been forcibly grabbed or illegally occupied by anybody or group and I can assure you that security agencies will be there the next day to flush them out”.
“But as far as I know and I receive security reports every morning, there is no such incidence that the State government is aware of. But we don’t know everything, you know more than us because you are closer to the communities. So please report where indigenous people have been displaced by bandits or anyone else”.
He assured the Council that, goverment will continue to support security agencies to restore calm in the affected communities.
“To make this sustainable, we call on the traditional institution to collaborate with the security agencies to expose and report criminals in their communities.”
He assured the Emirs of goverment’s intention to review and upgrade the Chieftancy system.
According to the Governor, the crux of the reform is to put in measures to protect the traditional leaders from administrative and executive ambitiousness.
He further explained that, the State plans to pass a new law that will protect the traditional institution and ensure that, before any Emirates or chiefdoms are created, it will pass through the State Assembly where the representative of the people will have the opportunity to vote and support it before it is done.
The reform will also seek to amend the traditional institution as an enabler of inclusion in the diverse communities. It will place the Chiefs and Emirs in charge of geographic areas not tribes or ethnic groups, making them the leaders of everyone that lives within their domain.
