Gov El-rufai Issues Stern Warning To Shiites

Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna state has sent a powerful message to the Nigerian Army and the Shiites who have been in the news recently over incessant disagreements.

In a statewide broadcast on Thursday, December 17, the governor promised to investigate the recent killings and explained incidents that preceded the unfortunate occurrences.
Check out the message here:

We have witnessed sad events in Zaria and a part of Kaduna metropolis over the last few days. As your Governor, it is my duty to address you on the incidents, and explain the events that preceded the tragedy of last weekend. We shall also outline how we intend to prevent a recurrence.

As you are aware, military operations have taken place in Zaria between Saturday, 12 December and Monday, 14 December 2015. There have been tragic consequences and needless loss of lives, and we extend our condolences to the families that have been affected.

In this sombre moment, we have also directed that steps be taken to address the humanitarian fallouts of the operations. The State Government is carrying out after action review of the theatre of operations with a view to compensating those whose vehicles, real property and other assets were damaged as a result.

The Kaduna State Government has been informed that on Saturday, 12 December 2015, the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, reported an ambush and attempted assassination at a roadblock mounted by members of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s Islamic Movement of Nigeria.

Clashes broke out as soldiers mounted operations to repel the attack, remove the obstruction to a major public highway, and to contain and arrest the perpetrators. When the security agencies sent reports of the clash to me a little after 3pm on that day, I initiated steps that I thought could calm the situation. I called Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky on the phone to get his side of the story, and thereafter visited Zaria for on-the-spot briefing and assessment and visited the Chief of Army Staff.

The army and the police have since addressed the press on the security operations and the aftermath. We have also seen video clips aired on national television and online to show the extent to which the Nigerian Army tried to reason with the persons that were intent on obstructing a public highway without any justification. The avoidable weekend tragedy in Zaria has a background based on information available to the Kaduna State Government.