Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has vowed to ensure that anyone found culpable in the crisis that erupted in Kachia at the weekend is punished accordingly.

Speaking when he visited victims of the crisis yesterday, the governor said investigation into the cause of the ugly incident has since commenced and government will ensure that persons found to have perpetrated the violence are prosecuted no matter their status in the society.

Governor Yero said “investigation is already on and whoever is found to have a hand in this crisis will face full wrath of the law. I want to assure the people and I will call on people not to try thwarting the course of justice by protecting suspects during arrest.”

He called on people in the area to prevent their children from engaging in violent acts during crisis saying: “If you allow your children to engage in such acts, they will one day turn against you when there is no crisis.”

The governor also admonished women in the area to desist from protesting half naked and called on them to always present their grievances with dignity and respect for womanhood.

He pleaded with people of Kachia and environs to continue to live in peace with one another despite differences in tribes or religion.

Yero visited affected areas on the violence including camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and hospital where victims are receiving treatment.

At the hospital, he directed that the state bears all medical bills while those that sustain serious injuries are to be transferred to Kaduna for treatment.

At IDP camps, the governor pleaded with both Muslims and Christians affected in the crisis to forgive each other and continue to live in peace saying: “Kachia is known for peace and is the least of areas expected to witness such crisis. It is unfortunate that this crisis was over a very trivial issue and government will wade in to ensure that all sections are justly treated in this matter.”

To forestall future reoccurrence, Governor Yero has directed the ministries of Works, Lands and Education to resolve dispute which occurred over the fencing of the eid prayer ground and access road to a community behind it.

The governor directed that the fence be built by government, while an access road is to immediately be constructed to the area behind the eid ground.

Governor Yero also hinted at relaxing the 24 hours curfew placed on Kachia town by today “if we observe that the situation has improved and that people are ready to live together again as one.”

The governor also visited the palace of the Agom Adara, where he called on the people to cooperate with security agencies in returning normalcy to the area.

In his speech, the Agom Adara, Mr Galadima JP, thanked Governor Yero for finding time to visit the victims of the crisis and called for surveillance to prevent outsiders from escalating the crisis.

•Photo shows Governor Yero.

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