…Says, “Kaduna must stand united.”
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Peace and civil society groups in Kaduna State have called for calm and restraint, warning that recent public exchanges between the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), and historical grievances involving former Governor Nasir El-Rufai must not be allowed to deepen divisions in the state.
In a joint statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna, the Interfaith Mediation Centre, IMC, Kaduna, Network of Peace Journalism, Rigar Yanchi, Community Peace Observers, CPOs, and the Kaduna Peace Justice Forum under the Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council, CMMRC, said they were “deeply concerned” about the direction of the discourse.
The groups acknowledged that robust democratic debate and freedom of expression are vital to democracy, but cautioned that “high-level political exchanges can inadvertently reawaken ethnic, religious, and sectarian fault-lines within our fragile social fabric.”
“Kaduna State has paid an immeasurable price in past divisions; hence, our collective energy must now be unreservedly channeled towards healing, reconciliation, and sustainable peace,” the statement added.
The peace groups urged citizens across ethnic, religious and regional divides not to allow political disagreements to translate into grassroots animosity.
“Our shared aspirations for peace, security, and economic prosperity far outweigh any political or personal divisions,” they stated.
They also called for historical grievances to be addressed through “institutional frameworks, empathy, and constructive engagement, rather than weaponizing differences.”
Community, youth and religious leaders were urged to preach restraint and guide public conversations towards mutual understanding.
The groups acknowledged efforts by the current administration of Governor Uba Sani and other stakeholders – to “foster inclusion and restore civic trust across the state.”
They encouraged stakeholders to rally behind community-level peace-building mechanisms, Early Warning and Early Response (EWER), frameworks, and interfaith initiatives that reinforce social cohesion.
Addressing national and state leaders directly, the groups said: “Words hold immense power in multi-ethnic societies of our dear state and nation.”
“We urge leadership at all levels to model unity, tone down incendiary rhetoric, and focus on collaborative nation-building.”
The statement emphasized Kaduna’s diversity as its strength, describing the state as home to all its indigenous populations, “from the North to the South, the East to the West.”
“Our strength has always lied in our rich diversity, resilience, and capacity to live together as one indivisible people. We refuse to be divided by yesterday’s political battles. Together, let us forge ahead towards a stable, prosperous, and unified Kaduna State and a stronger Nigeria,” the groups concluded.
The statement was signed by IMC Kaduna, Network of Peace Journalism, Rigar Yanchi, Community Peace Observers, CMMRC Kaduna State, and Kaduna Peace Justice Forum, respectively.