Bassa Crisis: Monarch Seeks Solutions,Tasks Governor Bello on Release of Mozum Leaders
The Shaba of Mozum, Alhaji Haruna Abubakar, has called on the Federal and Kogi State Governments, to as a matter of urgency, take decisive steps to end the ongoing ethnic crisis bedevilling Bassa local government area of the State.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja, the royal father equally enjoined the state government to release the political and traditional leaders of the area detained as a result of the ethnic crisis between the Bassa Kwomu and Igbirra Mozum communities.
Read Also:
He opined that the incarceration of the chairman of the local government, Mallam Muhammed Muktar Shuaibu, the Aguma of Bassa, Chief William Keke, the Ohiogba of Mozum, Alhaji Khalid Ali Bukar, the House of Assembly member representing the area, Hon. Daniya Ranyi, and President of Mozum Cultural and Development Association, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, has caused more problems for the area.
Abubakar, who is next in hierarchy to the paramount ruler of Mozum Kingdom, alleged that on Saturday, Bassa Kwomu attackers invaded Mozum community three times, pointing out that the attacks led to the death of one Mohammed, even as many houses were burnt in the community.
Abubakar argued that since the method employed by the government has not stopped further bloodshed in the area, another approach should be adopted.
According to the royal father, it is only when the political and traditional leaders in Bassa local government are around that the ethnic crisis can be resolved through peaceful negotiation, saying concerted efforts must be geared towards finding a permanent solution to the internecine hostilities between the warring groups.
