At least 37 people are feared killed and many others seriously
injured in fresh crisis that broke out in Kajuru Local Government Area
in Southern Kaduna.
The latest trouble was said to have started since Sunday when some
Fulani youths allegedly went to a village at Ugwan Uka to avenge the
killing of their kinsman. Kajuru Local Government is about 50 kilometres
from the state capital, Kaduna.
The fresh killings show that the efforts by the government at the
state and federal levels to check violence have not been effective.
The umbrella body of Fulani, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria on Saturday alleged that four of its members were
killed by youths from the troubled Southern Kaduna.
The group had alleged that youths from Kadara and Gwari communities in Kajuru were responsible for the killings.
The National Secretary of the association, Ibrahim Abdullahi, while
addressing a press conference in Kaduna claimed that the incident
occurred when some kidnappers raided the communities and took away the
villagers.
But yesterday, one of the Kadara youths, who craved anonymity,
claimed that the Fulani man that was killed was a known bandit who had
been harassing the people of the area and was killed by a mob while he
was trying to escape.
He said the matter was explained to the head of the Fulani community
in the area who, he claimed, knew the deceased Fulani man to be a
bandit, but their youths insisted on attacking to avenge the man’s
death.
According to the Kadara youth, “the Chief of Kajuru even called them
and spoke with them but we were surprised that in the early hours of
Sunday morning, they came and carried out the attack.”
It was learnt that the Fulani youths killed five of the youths they
were said to have identified as being responsible for the killing of
their kinsman.
The action was said to have provoked the Kadara youths who mobilised
themselves on Monday and attacked Fulani settlements, burning their
houses and other property while killing not less than 12 persons in the
reprisal attack.
Mallam Salisu Mohammed, an eyewitness, said that after the attack,
some security agents were deployed in the communities and peace was
restored for the period they were around. But, according to him, things
got out of hand again when the security agents left the bushes and the
Kadara youth launched another attack on the surrounding Fulani
settlements, killing not less than 10 persons.
“These are the ones whose bodies have been recovered. As I am talking
with you, we don’t know the actual number of casualties as our people
are scattered all over, running to save their lives,” he said.
According to Mohammed, the victims were buried in a mass grave, and
while at the site of the burial, they received information to prepare
for the burial of another nine whose bodies were recovered from the
surrounding bushes.
Another eyewitness said when the attack occurred, the youths became restive, but the elders had to calm them down.
“We have been hearing of several attacks, but when I called people in
some of the communities, they say the report was not true,” he said.
He, however, said that no less than 10 persons including a seven-month-old baby reportedly died in the attack.
Confirming the incident, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer,
Yakubu Sabo, said he was aware of the misunderstanding among some
individuals in the community which later led to a clash and some people
were said to have taken the laws into their hands.
According to Sabo, security operatives (police personnel and
soldiers) have been drafted to the area and have brought the situation
under control.
“Not only the police but the joint patrol comprising the police and
army are still there and the situation has been brought under control. I
spoke with them this afternoon and they confirmed to me they’re still
there. There is no way this type of thing will happen and we will just
withdraw like that.”
“We have been hearing of several attacks, but when I called people in
some of the communities, they say the report was not true,” he said.
He, however, said that no less than 10 persons including a seven-month-old baby reportedly died in the attack.
Confirming the incident, the Acting Police Public Relations Officer,
Yakubu Sabo, said he was aware of the misunderstanding among some
individuals in the community which later led to a clash and some people
were said to have taken the laws into their hands.
According to Sabo, security operatives (police personnel and
soldiers) have been drafted to the area and have brought the situation
under control.
“Not only the police but the joint patrol comprising the police and
army are still there and the situation has been brought under control. I
spoke with them this afternoon and they confirmed to me they’re still
there. There is no way this type of thing will happen and we will just
withdraw like that.”
Idris added that such collaboration would be further strengthened for
the benefit of both organisations in the interest of national security.
The IGP, who was represented by the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG)
in charge of Zone 12 Bauchi, Baba Tijjani, at the summit organised by
the NBC, said kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes would be a
thing of the past, if the Federal Government and other stakeholders were
determined to end violence in the country.
The Director-General of NBC, Malam Is’haq Modibo Kawu, lamented the
pathetic situation where the Federal Government deploys armed forces in
over 28 states of the federation, adding that the armed forces have
taken over the responsibilities of the police, a development, he said,
was also condemned by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Yakubu Dogara, recently.
