The President of the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), Engr. Tabara Samuel Katung, has called on the Kaduna State Government to strengthen security across farming communities to enable farmers to harvest their crops and return home safely.
Katung made the call while assessing the performance of Governor Uba Sani’s administration in an interaction with journalists in Kaduna, stressing the need for proactive measures to protect farmers as the harvest season begins.
He said enhanced security for farmers was essential to protecting their lives and livelihoods, improving agricultural productivity and strengthening food security across the state.
According to him, the government must ensure that peasant farmers can access their farms without fear of attacks, kidnapping or other security threats.
The SOKAPU president also called on stakeholders involved in the formulation of legal provisions for the establishment of state police to expedite the process and ensure its speedy passage and effective implementation.
He noted that state police could strengthen community-based security and improve the protection of lives and property across the country.
Assessing Governor Uba Sani’s administration, Katung said the government had recorded significant achievements within its three years in office, particularly in peacebuilding, inclusive governance and infrastructural development.
He noted that various parts of the state had benefited from ongoing development projects.
He acknowledged the administration’s security initiatives, particularly the Kaduna State Peace Model, which he said had contributed to a reduction in banditry and kidnapping compared with the situation before the current government assumed office.
He, however, stressed the need to sustain and strengthen these efforts, especially in rural and farming communities.
Katung further listed some projects and institutions in Southern Kaduna, including road construction projects, the Federal Medical Centre, the Federal University of Applied Sciences and military installations, which he said had contributed to development and improved security in the area.
As political activities gather momentum ahead of elections, the SOKAPU president cautioned politicians against inciting violence or engaging in confrontations with opponents for political gains. He warned that such practices could undermine national security, peaceful coexistence and the welfare of citizens, emphasising that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens rather than any individual or interest group.
He added that conflicts fuelled by ethnic, religious and regional sentiments could have lasting consequences for those responsible, warning that the effects of such crises might persist long after they had been instigated.
He urged political actors to embrace peace and responsible conduct, noting that resolving divisions and restoring harmony could take considerable time.
Speaking on his leadership of SOKAPU, Katung said he had been an active member of the association since its formation in 1994 before emerging as its national president.
He listed efforts to address leadership challenges, reunite the association’s divided youth wing, secure official registration for the organisation and plans to acquire a befitting secretariat among the achievements recorded under his leadership.
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