Governor Nasir El-Rufai has alleged that Southern Kaduna leaders want money for the killings in the region to stop.
The Kaduna state Governor who said this during an interview on Channels Television, also alleged that previous governments paid leaders of the region a monthly salary they called “peace money”.
El-Rufai insisted that he won’t appease “criminals” and further disclosed that his government have been gathering evidence against leaders of the region who have raised a spectre of genocide. He added that he is accused of taking sides because he stopped the payment of such money.
He said;
“MOST OF THE PEOPLE SAYING THAT HAVE NO MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD WERE LIVING OFF THE GOVERNMENTS. THE GOVERNMENTS BEFORE US WERE PAYING THEM MONEY EVERY MONTH, THEY CALLED IT PEACE MONEY. WE STOPPED IT. THIS IS WHY THEY SAY I AM TAKING SIDES.
“WHATEVER THEY SAY, I TAKE IT. I AM THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE. IF THEY DON’T ABUSE ME, WHO WILL THEY ABUSE ANYONE THAT IS MODERATE OR PROMOTING PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE BETWEEN VARIOUS ETHNIC GROUPS IS CONSIDERED A SELLOUT.
“AND FOR A GOVERNOR LIKE ME WHO DOES NOT APPEASE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE USED TO BEING APPEASED, THEY CAUSE TROUBLES, THEY ORGANISE THESE KILLINGS AND THEN, THEIR LEADERS ARE INVITED BY THE GOVERNOR, THEY WINE AND DINE AND THEY ARE GIVEN BROWN ENVELOPES. THAT’S WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING FOR 20 YEARS.
“AND WE CAME INTO OFFICE AND WE SAID NO MORE, NOBODY WHO DOES NOT ENCOURAGE PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE GOVERNOR OR THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE. I HAVE NO TIME FOR THEM.
“I HAVE NO TIME FOR NONSENSE. I WILL NOT APPEASE CRIMINALS. I WILL NOT APPEASE IDLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING TO DO BUT TO RAISE A SPECTRE OF GENOCIDE. THEY DO THAT TO GET MONEY INTO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS AND GET DONATIONS FROM ABROAD INSTEAD OF STANDING UP.
“THEY HAVE COME UP WITH OTHER THINGS BECAUSE THE MONEY THEY GOT DURING THE ELECTION IS EXHAUSTED AND THEY CAN SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT TO SAY. I WILL NOT APPEASE TROUBLEMAKER.
“I WILL NOT TOLERATE PEOPLE THAT INCITE. I WILL MAP THEM, WE WILL ARREST AND PROSECUTE THEM, THAT’S MY STYLE, I OBEY THE RULE OF LAW.”
