By Our Reporter
Zangourban Community Development Association ( ZOCUDA) has cauitioned Gen. Zamani Lekwot has challenged General Zamani Lekwot to grant a fresh interview revealing the role he played in 1992 Zangon kataf crises, as they alleged he was among the accused culprits in the crises that was pardoned.
The group said cautioned him to desist from granting distorted interviews on the crises if he is not ready to reveal what transpired.
They said the biased interview he recently granted to justify hienous crimes commited agains't Hausa/Fulani members of the community in the 1992 crises, of which he played a role only opens the wound of the past and recoils the trauma and sorrow which families of the victimes and those who suffered in the attack.
Challenging Gen. Lekwot to bring his witness and have the market he indicated to have caused crises revisited, the group said the purported site was an empty land without any infrastructure and no single stall was built by the authority concerned, but relocation was announced impromptu in order to achieve what they descirbed as an ethnic agenda by the then Chairman of the Local Government Area.
In a statement by the Acting Chairman Board of Trustees of ZOCUDA, Alhaji Ibrahim Bisallah, he challenged General Lekwot to conduct another round of interview to tell the world "honest and humble truth".
Bissallah said contrary to Gen. Lekwot's false assertion in the interview he granted that the 1992 Zangon Kataf crises started as a result of relocation of new market, which led to an attack on an Atyap commuity which the general failed to mention its name, and how many persons killed, he said "there are enough records in our (Hausa/Fulani) archives to enlighten the public of the roles played by all the parties to know the truth. But it is pertinent to our Hausa-Fulani Community to correct any misrepresentations or mischief from any quarters in the public domain with the fear of Allah.
The group's Acting Chairman also advised General Lekwot to go for counselling on human relation and psychology and desist from "granting interview on your role in Zangon Kata crisis of 1992 because the more you speak on it the more you reawake sleeping victims) and open the wound of grief, sorrow and tears yet to heal and remind us of the seeming frustrated and disgruntled Retired general you are. This is the least of what we would say to ourex convicted and unremorseful neighbor if you continue to tow the path you are taking as against being apologetic and seeking forgiveness."
He said not only were General Lekwot's responses uncoordinated, but "there were lots of deliberate mischief, distortion of facts and misinformation that has become your stock-in-trade.
"As you rightly stated, you were tried, convicted and pardoned, but you were wrong in claiming you were framed for a crime you never committed. For somebody of your standing, a retired General belonging to a clique in Nigeria that are hardly caught on the wrong side of the law, if you were not culpable, truth would have set you free. The world would have come to your rescue. You would not have been indicted by a Commission of enquiry and Tribunal both headed by Christians like you.
"The people of Zangon Kataf especially the Hausa-Fulani Community would like to wonder what exactly did you set out to achieve by this interview at this critical time when the nation is in desperate search for peacetul co-existence amongst its peoples in the face of the protracted insecurity involving kidnapping, banditry and unknown gunmen attacks in the nation, especially in Zangon Katat, Southern Kaduna and Kaduna State in general.
"Perhaps it could have been an opportunity for you to tender an unreserved apology to tho widows, the orphans and the relatives of the hundreds that the Atyap murderers maimed, killed as well as the tens of thousands of the Hausa/Fulani you and your kinsmen displaced and sent out as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in a continuing onslaught that has lasted about 31 years and their properties worth millions of Naira destroyed as well as those with scars on their bodies and grief in their hearts.
"But you derailed from an opportunity to rebrand your blood-stainedpersonality and rather typicalofthe old disillusioned and diabolical machinations depictingtheseeming disgruntled and frustrated General that you are, you have by this misplaced interview exposed yourself to further hatred and ridicule by exhuming theghost of the barbaric act that stinks to high heavensfor which generations of the victims will continue to remember.
They however warned Gen. Lekwot that the Hausa/Fulani "community would not be silent once he re- open the wound.
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