The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned the violent conflicts in Kaduna and its environs which have claimed many lives, blaming the crises on leadership failure.
President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Friday decried the violence which he said has led to multiple deaths officially put at 55 at Kasuwan Magaini, 22 in Kaduna metropolis and an unspecified number in other unnamed settlements.
In the statement issued in Abuja and made available to the Next Edition, Wabba said: “Almost a week after the violent conflict erupted over an issue as trivial as a dispute over the correct measure of grains of maize in the market place, it is yet to abate as reports say today (Friday) there are fresh attacks and reprisals.
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“The Kaduna crisis is not just a painful reminder of a relatively distant past we were better off without. It is a sad commentary on the state of our communal relations. It represents leadership failure in the state as pre-emptive security measures ought to have been put in place in Kaduna metropolis when this conflict started at Kasuwan Magaini.
“We believe human life still remains sacred in spite of our degeneration into a non-society. It is equally important for the Kaduna State Government to restore the security measures put in place by the Government of Makarfi which ensured peace and security in the state for over 10 years.
“Kaduna State cannot afford to continue to leave on the edge of the knife. The implications are enormous not just for Kaduna but the whole country.
“Finally, our sympathy and condolences go to those who have lost their properties or loved ones.”
The labour leader stressed that the root causes of the conflicts must be addressed and perpetrators brought to justice.
