Akurmi Youth Ask El-Rufai To Release Kurama Chief

From Tom Garba, Garu
A youth group in Kaduna State under the auspices of “Akurmi Young professional” has called on the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to as a matter of good governance immediately release the chief of Kurama Chiefdom who was arrested and is still in detention.
In a statement signed by all its members, they stressed that the paramount ruler of Akurmi (Kurama) Land, Dr Ishaku Damina has been a peaceful man, a virtue seen in him that made former Governor Ahmed Makarfi-led administration to turban him B’gwam Kurmi 2 after the demised of the first chief in other to lead his peace-loving Kurama people.
According to the group, the arrest was unwarranted as there is no basis for it. The group said the detained Kurama Chief has been at the forefront of getting unrepentant criminals and people with questionable characters within his domain arrested.
The statement read in part: “Is it a crime to facilitate the arrest and handover of a wanted criminal to a task force set up by the government? Or is it because the criminal is a Fulani man? Has it become a crime for a traditional ruler to work closely with security agencies in curbing kidnapping in his domain? Is the persecution an on-going ploy to give a dog a bad name to hang it, because of his insistence on our cultural affinity with Southern Kaduna and middle-belt indigenious nation? Is there a ploy to replace our Chief because of his patriotism in protecting our lands, culture, tradition and history? This and more questions beg for answers, and the government is in the best position to answer these questions.
“The Akurmi nation and others within his domain have enjoyed enduring peace and stability. His peace-building capacity has been on display in amicably preventing, managing and resolving disputes. His track-records as a professional and traditional ruler portray him as a law-abiding and peace-loving man.”
The statement added: “It beats our imagination that an ambassador of peace with a clean record will be charged for criminal conspiracy, assault and abduction by the Kaduna State Government. Ladies and gentlemen, how can a man who complemented the effort of the government in curbing insecurity by facilitating the arrest of the most wanted kidnapper in Kaduna and Kano be accused of criminal conspiracy, assault and abduction?”
The group stressed that “for the sake of peace and unity there shall be an unconditional release of their paramount ruler, HRH Dr. Ishaku S. Damina in line with his fundamental human rights. We also demand that the government tender an unreserved apology to both our Chief and the Akurmi nation for desecrating our traditional institution in total contradiction of the United Nations Declaration on the Right of the Indigenous People (UNDRIPS, 2007).
“We hereby call on all to be law-abiding and allow peace of love to reign in Akurmi land, reminding our people to remain calm and that they should not take the laws into their hands, as we will take all lawful approach to address the issue. We understand that the matter is presently in court. We therefore call on the judiciary as the last hope of the common man to ensure the trial of our dear chief is free and fair.”