I'm not a Religious Bigot, Ethnic Champion says El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that he is neither a religious bigot nor eth­nic champion.
El-Rufai stated this on Tuesday in reaction to the allegations by his critics that he is taking sides in the widely-con­demned killing in South­ern Kaduna by Fulani herdsmen.
He spoke in Kaduna when the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Southern Kaduna Crisis and other parts of the country vis­ited him in his office.

The embattled gover­nor remarked that “those accusing him of spon­soring the crises are mis­chief makers.”
Briefing the Senate committee led by the former governor of Kano State, Sen Kabir Gaya, Governor El-Rufai said that on assumption, his government inherited three main problems - cattle rustling, urban gangsters called “Shara Suka” and communal killings.
Worried by the orgy of disturbances, the gov­ernor said he passion­ately appealed for more funding for the security agencies in the yet to be passed 2017 budget, to enable them appropriate­ly tackle internal security challenges.
Insisting that he is not a religious fanatic or ethnic champion, El-Rufai, who berated his critics for their feelings, said: “No gov­ernor wants crisis in his state. I am the governor of Kaduna State, if you break the law you will be pun­ished. The entire Kaduna city has been divided and there is need to regain the confidence and mix to­gether.
“Let people know that there are always conse­quences for insecurity, and this crisis would have consequences, economic, political, development and even social.
“When we came in we met three main problems on ground; cattle rustling, urban gang and commu­nal killings.
“As the chief security officer of the state, we re­ally do not have control over the security agencies; we have committed so much in funding secu­rity agencies in the state. We have bought even bullet proof vest, vans for security agencies. We have committed N4 bil­lion in support of secu­rity agencies in the state.
“The state govern­ment will continue to support the security agencies in the state even though it is the responsi­bility of the federal gov­ernment,” he said.

(Authority Newspapers)