By Abba Kabara, Gusau
A former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has canvassed for an end to the lingering mass killings in the Northwest, saying it is like a genocide and must stop in the interest of justice and the unity of the country.
Kayode made the disclosure on Monday while speaking with newsmen in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.
He noted that considering the magnitude of damage to human lives over many years, the Media has the responsibility to blow out the situation to the notice of the whole world, adding that all forces should come together to end the security problem.
The human rights activist stressed that “the universal fact is that, justice has no tribe and on this premise, we must all strive to defend the rights of the victims to also live as citizens” he said.
He declared that he was particularly impressed by the leadership approach of the state governor Bello Matawalle, pointing out that it has earned him respect as an epitome of national unity, a good bridge builder and a governor who is more admired in southern part of the country than in the North.
“I am in Zamfara after Katsina to personally see and make on the ground assessment of the insecurity problem in the two states and what I observed was a serious violation of human rights to live” he said.
The former Aviation minister, who was crowned with a traditional title of “SADAUKIN SHINKAFI” by the emir of Shinkafi in appreciation of his concern for the predicaments of the citizens of the state, emphasized that the magnitude of suffering being experienced by the victim states should be a concern to every Nigerian.
“It is time now we come together and share the pains suffered by the victims of banditry, kidnappings and other forms of crime against humanity not only in the Northwest but across all other regions of the country’.
Commenting on what he termed as wrong perception of him as anti-North, Kayode acknowledged that though he has been attacking some undesirable social misdemeanor in the North, “everyone knows that I have for long been known as a human rights activist who has been fighting against injustice”.
He added that he has always been pronouncing his detest against injustice, social enslavement and other forms of oppression against humanity.
He said he was fighting against a bad system, not personalities, stressing that he should not be branded an anti- any section, region, tribe or religious calling of any body.
