The Concerned Muslim Ummah of Southern Kaduna has accused certain elites in the region of promoting what it described as “manipulative narratives” that seek to exclude Muslims from the socio-political and historical identity of Southern Kaduna.
In a statement issued to the press, the group rejected claims that Southern Kaduna is exclusively Christian, describing such assertions as “historically inaccurate.” It emphasized that Muslims have been integral to the region for centuries.
“Islam and Muslims were present in this area long before the 19th-century Jihad of Uthman Dan Fodio and long before many present-day communities settled here,” said Dr. Kabir Muhammad, Chairman of the Muslim Youth Forum of Southern Kaduna, who signed the statement on behalf of the group.
Citing demographic reports, the group maintained that Muslims constitute about 40 percent of Southern Kaduna’s population. It further noted that Hausa, Fulani, and other indigenous Muslim communities have lived for generations in areas such as Zangon Kataf, Kafanchan, Kachia, Kagarko, Kaura, Jama’a, Kajuru, and Sanga predating both the advent of Christianity and the Uthman Dan Fodio Jihad.
Historical Context
The group also dismissed allegations that the region’s crises were orchestrated by the previous administration. It recalled violent episodes dating as far back as the 1980s, including the 1987 Kafanchan riot, the 1992 Zangon Kataf conflict, and the 2011 post-election violence.
“It is inhumane for any individual or group to politicize the recurrent bloodshed in Southern Kaduna by tying it to a specific period,” the statement read.
Political Influence
The Muslim Ummah further highlighted the role of Muslims in shaping the region’s political outcomes, stressing that they contributed significantly to the electoral victories of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, 2019, and 2023. According to the group, Muslims in Southern Kaduna voted massively for Governor Uba Sani and President Bola Tinubu, while many Christians backed opposition parties.
It accused certain Christian elites of fueling violence and monopolizing opportunities, alleging that such figures manipulate chieftaincy structures, inflate population figures for political gain, and feed “one-sided narratives” to the media and international community.
“These elites thrive on bloodshed and manipulation,” the statement asserted. “They have a history of resurrecting old politics of violence, intimidating Muslims, and blackmailing governments.”
Appeal for Inclusive Leadership
While commending Governor Sani for what it described as “inclusive leadership,” the group urged him to remain vigilant against individuals who, it claimed, opposed his rise to power but are now seeking to influence his administration.
It also called on the media to “shun propaganda and verify claims before publication” and urged Southern Kaduna communities to resist being used as pawns in the “selfish games of elites.”
“The current peace in Kaduna State is not by accident,” the group concluded. “With purposeful leadership, a new, peaceful, and egalitarian Kaduna State is possible.”