• CAN Urges Dialogue To Address Heightening Insecurity • Makarfi Flays Increasing Violence, Attacks By Terrorists Suspected terrorists numbering about 200, yesterday, attacked the Kaduna International Airport, Kaduna, and killed a security guard, as well as disrupted flight services for hours. The invasion from the runway area, with heavy shootings around noon, threw the airport into disarray and prevented a Lagos-bound Azman Air flight from taking off. The attack is coming one year after bandits stormed the staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and abducted officials and their family members. Earlier in the day, there was pandemonium in Danmani Community of Rigasa, Igabi Local Council following a bomb explosion. The unfortunate incident, which jolted residents occurred close to a Point of Sale (POS) shop, near Abubakar Sadiq Mosque. An object believed to be an explosive device was found close to a motorcycle belonging to the POS operator, who was injured and rushed to the hospital. Another resident, who simply identified himself as Shehu, told journalists that three people sustained injuries during the incident. According to him, an anti-bomb squad arrived at the scene and detonated another explosive device. The Guardian learnt that the Azman’s Boeing 737 aircraft could not take off owing to sporadic gun short around the aerodrome, as the military tried to repel the criminals. Most workers at the facility fled the airport while the shootout lasted. Sources, which confirmed that the NAMA staff was shot and killed by the bandits around the runway area, added that the shooting and presence of the bandits on the runway prevented the craft from taking off. The acting Managing Director of NAMA, Lawrence Pwajok, confirmed the attack to The Guardian. Pwajok said: “Yes it is true that bandits attacked our VHF Omni-directional range (VOR) equipment site at Kaduna Civil airport around 12 noon today and shot our security man attached to the equipment. He later died from gunshot injuries. However, the Air Force is currently engaging the bandits in a counter-offensive.” Very high-frequency Omni-directional range is a type of short-range radio navigation system for aircraft. It enables aircraft with receiving units to determine their position and stay on course by receiving radio signals transmitted by a network of fixed ground radio beacons. March last year, suspected armed bandits, stormed the staff quarters of FAAN and NAMA at Kaduna airport, having allegedly kidnapped an unspecified number of persons. Some FAAN officials living in the quarters, who managed to escape, said some colleagues and their families were taken away by the gunmen. The state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the attack in a statement titled, “Troops Repel Bandits at Kaduna Airport,” said troops had successfully repelled the outlaws. The government maintained that scheduled flights resumed after the incident and praised the efforts of the military. “Security forces are conducting operations in the airport general area. Further updates will be communicated to the public,” the statement added. Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is urging dialogue to address worsening insecurity in the state, just as a former governor of the state, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi has flayed the increasing violence and attacks by terrorists. The Chairman of Kaduna Chapter of CAN, Rev Joseph John Hayab, in a statement, said: “Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people aimed at resolving a problem. Accordingly, religion and culture teach us to engage in dialogue to make the world and humankind better. “The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter is disturbed, particularly that owing to the ceaseless killings in the state and the country at large, some groups are asking faith leaders to withdraw from any peace dialogue. “The contention is that some parties in peace dialogues do not come to the table with genuineness or as equal partners,” the statement said, adding, “CAN, therefore, appeals to those who feel that they have had enough of dialogue not to give up yet, and should desist from discouraging others from engaging in any opening for dialogue. Christians are people of faith and trust that with God all things are possible. “One day, sooner than later, the evil, killings, and destruction experienced now will be over when more good people continue to dialogue towards finding a lasting solution to our current predicament.” Makarfi said: “It is rather unfortunate that just a few days apart, we are having to, once again mourn the loss of innocent lives and destruction of properties in Kaduna State. “The attacks and subsequent loss of about 50 lives as reported and properties in Giwa Local Government coming so shortly on the heels of the ones in the southern parts of the state earlier in the week are a stark reminder of the perilous times we seem to be in,” the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said.
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