Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has appealed to Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to reconsider planned demolition of the Gbagyi Villa land belonging to Kaduna Polytechnic.

Mr. Sani while stating his position on the Gbagyi Villa planned demolition, during an interaction with executives of Miyetti Allah, Kaduna South Local Government chapter, on Monday in Kaduna, said “it is insensitive to destroy homes of thousands of innocent people in an attempt to prove a point by the Kaduna State Government.”

“Let me state my position clearly on the planned demolition of the Gbagyi Villa land belonging to Kaduna Polytechnic.

“It is insensitive to destroy homes of thousands of innocent people in an attempt to prove a point by the Kaduna State Government.

“There should be a triangular meeting made up of the management of Kaduna Polytechnic, the Gbagyi Villa community and the Federal Government, from which the state can serve as an observer.

“There is nothing dialogue cannot solve, the state government can use executive power to destroy and demolish buildings. It can get back the land but it cannot get back the peace.

“The academic community of the polytechnic must live in peace with the community of Gbagyi Villa for them to be able to live peacefully and perform their function without any fear.”

He appealed to el-Rufai to come out with an alternative of re-settling the people of Gbagyi Villa. Adding: “We must in every possible way, learn to address problems using the best instrument of dialogue, civility and humility.

“My appeal to the State Government is to reconsider the demolition that is likely going to send thousands of people into homelessness.

“We never promised our people in any of our campaign promises that when we come over and we are going to demolish their homes.”

Sani described cattle rustling and kidnapping as a major social and economic challenge in Nigeria.

He said cattle rusting is an issue that bothers on economy, environment, peace, national security, national unity and collective well being of Nigeria.

“I see Fulani cattle breeders as victims of decade of neglect and abandonment by past northern leaders who had presided over the affairs of government in the country.

“It is equally very unfortunate now, when people are running to leaders, the leaders are running to mosque and churches seeking prayers and miracles.

“Those who made promises to the poor must sit back and address them rather than seek spiritual solutions to political promises made.”

He chided President Goodluck Jonathan administration as a major contributing factor to the current situation in the country.

“But we must not also continue to blame the past without laying a clear direction for the future,” Sani said.

He said the problem of the Niger Delta is haunting Nigeria today because the problem has not been solved.

He said Nigerians should not continue to blame the Fulanis when hundreds of billions of naira is spent on agriculture and not a fraction of it is given to the Fulanis for their livestock.

Earlier, Adamu Kabila, Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Kaduna South chapter, while lamenting the spate of cattle rustling and kidnapping of Fulanis, said: “The situation has degenerated to an extent that security agents have neglected their several complains allowing kidnappers to operate freely with even money counting machine for their kidnap loots around Birnin Gwari forests.”

•Photo by Garba Ahmed shows Senator Shehu Sani (middle) with the EXCO of Miyyetti Allah, Kaduna South LG.

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