By Luka Binniyat
The national youth leader of Southern Kaduna  socio-cultural umbrella body, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU),  Sebastine Luka and three of the group’s officials were on Tuesday detained by Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu, over a planned prayer session  for last Saturday’s killings of over 119 people in three Moroa villages, in Kaura Local Government Areas (LGA) of Kaduna State.

The villages are Ma’ Sankwai, Tekum and Unguwan Gata.

The people detained along with Luka were:  Bavoshia Nyan,  Kaboshio Paulinus and Sunday Kasai.

The news of their detention generated anger and anxiety in the Southern part of Kaduna with youths vowing to storm the Kaduna State Police Command Headquarters where they were being held.

According to sources available to Saturday  Vanguard, local community leaders prevailed upon the youths to remain calm but tension was palpable last Tuesday in Southern Kaduna  over their detention.

However, by 6pm on Tuesday, they were allowed to return home.

Speaking to newsmen after regaining freedom, Luka said: “The Police Commissioner invited us to his office and we went. He told us that he heard that we were planning a prayer session in respect of what happened in some Moroa villages. He said it was  dangerous for Kaduna town at this time and he ordered our detention. We were kept behind bars for four  hours. Then he said we should be brought out. He gave us a document to sign promising that we would not hold any prayer in Kaduna. But we refused. After sometimes, he said we should go”,  said Luka

The prayer session however did hold at the Bajju Town Hall, in Television quarters of Kaduna with hundreds of Christian worshippers all in black as early as 6:30am on Wednesday.

But not less than 15 trucks of combat-ready Mobile Policemen stood over the hall, with an additional two armoured tanks. There were also armed soldiers stationed  farther away, all looking at the direction of the prayer session. Two siren wailing police trucks  filled with armed policemen kept driving about the prayer premises, muting the voice of the lead pastor at intervals.

After about one hour of fervent prayers led by a Pastor  Mathias Yashim, the congregation came outside the Hall and gathered for an address by the National President of SOKAPU, Dr. Ephraim Goje.

The crowd in black lit candles and there was a mock coffin in front to mark the solemnity of the event. Some  also carried placards of various messages against the government of Yero.

Said Goje: “SOKAPU is very disappointed with this kind of show of arms against aggrieved Southern Kaduna people, who had congregated here to mourn and pray for  their loved ones killed in hundreds back home in their sleep. We do not know that this government has so much arms and personnel. We are therefore shocked that this fierce looking policemen and soldiers so well armed  cannot go to Kaura and protect lives and property, but converge here against peaceful worshippers.

“There have been no fewer that 600 killed in 54 raids on Southern Kaduna villages, since 2011, and it is like there is no government in place at all. We condemn this kind of insensitivity and we call on the federal government to relocate a battalion  of soldiers to Kaura LGA before it is too late. The genocide in Southern Kaduna must stop now”.

Former  Commissioner of Justice, and Attorney General of Kaduna State, Barrister Adamu Kish, joined his voice by saying: “The show of arms against a peaceful people praying to their God for intervention in what is going on against them  is an arrogant  violation of their  basic rights to gather and worship, and even peacefully protest. This is not a mark of civility, and it must stand condemned. Our youths that were detained yesterday should be briefing their lawyers now for legal redress against their illegal detention and attendant trauma”, he said.

Dr. John Danfulani, on his part said that the government of  Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was indifferent to the pains of Southern Kaduna people while genocide against them continues.

“He could not even make a state broadcast when over 100 of his citizens were murdered in one night in cold blood. He could not even visit the place. All he does is order the traumatised to come to his office for discussions, while the murderers are walking free and planning the next havoc”, he lamented.

All attempts to speak to the Kaduna State Police Spokesman, DSP Lawan Aminu, did not yield fruit as he did not pick his calls. He did not also respond to a text message by our reporter. But a government official who did not want his name mentioned said the action of the police was to prevent any form of demonstration after the prayer session.

“The situation in the state is too sensitive for us to risk any form of demonstration”, he said.