Killings: CAN Urges INEC To Ignore Call For Polls Postponement In Kaduna

The Kaduna State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria [CAN], John Hayab, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to ignore any call for the postponement of elections in the state.

Mr. Hayab made the call during an interview with Punch correspondents on Tuesday.

He alleged that the state government was making issues out of the crisis that happened over a week ago in eight communities in the state, to justify the need to postpone the elections.

He said, “To the best of our knowledge, arbitrary arrests of Southern Kaduna community leaders are increasing, not fresh killings.

“We know that there would be false alarm because of politics and elections and sadly some media houses have allowed themselves to be used against innocent people.

“The security agencies are just arresting community leaders so that the people would be annoyed and provoked.

“Let the state government come out and tell the whole world where and when the so-called killings are taking place.

“They were showing on television what they called a shallow grave where they claimed scores of murdered people were buried whereas every right-thinking person knows the difference between what they are showing and a grave. These are some of the unfortunate things that are going on in Kaduna State and Nigerians are watching.”

Hayab, who is also an indigene of Southern Kaduna, noted that no one ever argued that there was no crisis but that his concern was how the state government was playing politics with the lives of the people.

He said, “Since February 12 when the killings and reprisals that led to the death of 11 Adara people and the Fulani happened, I challenge anyone to come out with genuine proof that fresh killings that had shot the figure of dead people to 130 as claimed by the governor, had taken place

“Are the 130 figure recorded within the period that he raised the alarm or were they killed after he raised his alarm? The governor should come clear and tell the people all these things.

“There is no security issue in Kaduna that could justify the postponement of the election in the state. It is an isolated case and it is happening everywhere in the country.”

He added, “We are calling on INEC not to give in to cheap blackmail. The total number of registered voters in that area are not even up to 1, 000. It is not even a determining figure for Kaduna State.”

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