Following worsening insecurity in Kaduna State and alleged repressive policies of Governor Nasir El-rufai, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Alhaji Yusuf Alli has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately impose a state of emergency to save the State.
In an open letter to President Buhari, Alli urged him to do everything possible to rescue the State from looming anarchy.
According to him, “We have watched helplessly in Kaduna State where the President’s efforts are not being replicated. Rather, we have a situation whereby deliberate acts of commission or omission and anarchy have taken over.”
He said: “Mr. President is no doubt aware that no single day passes without massive killings, kidnappings, arson and wanton destruction of property in Kaduna State. The citizens and residents of are becoming numb to serial publications of death and destruction every day.”
Alli lamented that “farming activities are being negatively impacted on a scale that will herald famine throughout the state. Trading and other normal activities of life are equally affected. Even performing religious obligations is becoming difficult as places of worship are routinely targeted, burnt and destroyed with attendant loss of lives.
“The Kaduna–Abuja Road, Kaduna–Kachia Road, Kaduna–Zaria Road, Kaduna–BirninGwari Road are all under siege of bandits and kidnappers. Businesses are daily relocating from Kaduna. Residents are helpless and go about their lives with trepidation.”
Alli noted that in all of these, there is the virtual absence of governance as the whole Government in the State is a one-man affair. “Regrettably, the Governor who carries himself like an Emperor and has stiffed normal discourse that can lead to constructive ideas and suggestions to tackle the myriad of security issues bedeviling the state.
People have been threatened, arrested, prosecuted and targeted simply for raising their voices against the wanton destruction of lives and property.
“The Governor often considers such voices as attacks on him and the people raising such concerns become enemies or are declared enemies to be dealt with by the Governor. As I write this, Mr. President, Kaduna State University has been closed down following an unconscionable increase of School fees from around N50,000.00 to N500,000.00 even for students who are already studying in the institution.”
“Land grabbing from peasants by the State Government and its agents and reallocation to family members and cronies is the order of the day. The people of the state are being cowed into silence, frustration is building up palpable anger that may blow up into open revolt and violence.”
Alli continued: “Mr. President, there is today in Kaduna State such break down of public order and public safety to such extent that requires extraordinary measures to restore peace and security. There is, in addition, a clear and present danger of further and total breakdown of public safety in the state, which requires extraordinary measures to prevent such eventuality.
“The President has power under Section 305 of the Constitution to declare a state of emergency where the above situation and circumstances exist in the Federation or any part thereof.”
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