Interfaith set up c’ttee to facilitate return of Muslims to Zangon-Kataf

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna (IMC) has inaugurated a 16-man committee on Community Relations and Re-integration, to help facilitate the return of displaced Muslims to Zangon-Kataf Local government area, who fled the area as a result of the 2011 post-presidential elections violence in the state.

This was as the centre also inaugurated a 24-men committee, early warning and rapid response committee, to serve as whistle-blowers where there are indicators of conflict and for conflict prevention.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Zonkwa, the IMC co-Executive Director, Imam Nurayn Ashafa said the essence of the committees is to complement government efforts at the grassroots level.

“The significance of the committees in Southern Kaduna and most especially in Sanga and Zonkwa in Zangon-Kataf Local government, is that before now there is a divided community within Zonkwa, the urban town where the Muslims (Hausa and Fulani) are on one side totally out of the community and the indigenous natives are around the community.

” So, the process of bringing back the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, who were camped at the Mando Hajj Camp in Kaduna but forced to leave the camp and cannot return back home because the negotiation process at the local level is inconclusive.

“The early warning and early response committee are to work under the Community relations and Re-integration committee,” he said.

He commended the Kaduna state government for buying into the project and supporting the initiative.

Chairman, Zangon-Kataf local government area, Christopher N. Haruna described the initiative as a welcome idea which, according to him, is going to build on efforts and series of meeting held in the past towards ensuring that peaceful co-existence among the residents of the area is achieved.

The traditional father and the Agwan Bajju, Malam Nuhu Bature expressed hope in the calibre of persons that made the committee as he urged them to be more committed and dedicated in the service to their father land.