A coalition of Southern Kaduna Muslim Ummah on Saturday convened to clarify recent developments, addressing what it described as misrepresentations and manipulative narratives about the region.
Addressing a press briefing, Dr Kabir Muhammad, Chairman of the Muslim Youth Foundation of Southern Kaduna (MYFOSKA), accused certain groups of misleading the public and blackmailing successive administrations.
Muhammad explained that Southern Kaduna is not exclusively of a particular religion, noting the presence of Muslims in the area before the 19th-century Jihad of Uthman Dan Fodio.
He stressed that Muslims are indigenous to the region, owning land, engaging in farming and trade, and contributing significantly to education, security, and local economic development.
According to him, verified demographic studies indicate that Muslims constitute about 40 per cent of Southern Kaduna’s population.
He alleged that this demographic reality is often distorted by elites seeking to manipulate public opinion and monopolise resources for political and personal gain.
Muhammad noted that recurring crises in Southern Kaduna predate the immediate past administration and are deliberately prolonged by vested interests benefitting from instability.
He accused such elites of weaponising violence, using killings and intimidation as bargaining tools against government, while inciting hatred and fostering insecurity.
Muhammad urged the government to remain steadfast against blackmail and called on the media to shun propaganda and uphold factual, balanced reporting.
He appealed to all stakeholders to support Gov. Uba Sani’s administration in sustaining peace and consolidating development across Kaduna State.
He maintained that the peace currently being enjoyed is not accidental but the result of deliberate efforts by the administration to restore stability and unity.
He emphasised the need to reject divisive tendencies while backing the government’s vision of a peaceful, inclusive, and egalitarian Kaduna State.
Muhammad expressed appreciation for Governor Sani’s inclusive governance style, which he credited for fostering the state’s current stability and development.
However, he cautioned the governor to beware of elements seeking to destabilise the state or undermine genuine supporters of the administration.
The Southern Kaduna Development Association (SOKAMUDA) was also represented at the coalition’s briefing.
