RENEWED KILLINGS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA: REBUILD HOMES AND COMMUNITIES, NOT CHURCHES OR MOSQUES......SOKAPU TELLS EL-RUFAI

MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI

From all indications, there seems to be no end to the spate of attacks being reported in the Southern Kaduna, particularly in Kauru Local Government Council where no fewer than 45 deaths have been recorded since last Sunday, 13^th, November.

According to reports available to NAIJNEWSALERT, herdsmen armed with dangerous weapons had attacked about five villages leaving about 31 dead but sadly, the figures have since risen while a number of persons have still not been found, even at the time of filing in this report.

It could be recalled that earlier last month (October), the Executive Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai had, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan condemned in strong terms, the killings but said peace efforts are still ongoing to effectively and tentatively address the issue.

The killings in the Southern axis of the state had initially, been limited to Local Governments in the area; Jema’a and Sanga but unfortunately, has now been extended to include Kauru Local Government. These are all in Southern part of the state.

Accounts by an eyewitness revealed that the renewed attacks had resulted from a disagreement between a farmer and a Fulani man which according to the eyewitness, had requested for a portion of land from the farmer to enable him settle with his cattle on the farmland belonging to the farmer. This was said to have been responsible for the renewed onslaught.

This latest attack was alleged to have ensued few hours after a peace meeting by the state government in Samaru Kataf about 50 minutes drive from latest affected villages.

“Last September, a Fulani man called Haruna approached a famer here in Unguwan Magaji and asked that he wanted to settle with his cattle on portion of farmland the farmer had cleared and for which the farmer had informed the herdsman that his request could not be granted as the portion of land had been prepared for farming of yam by October”.

The source however disclosed that the said “Haruna nonetheless moved in with his cattle and built straw huts on the farm where he slept. When the case was reported to the police station in Kamuru Ikulu and Haruna was invited, he came and allegedly became violent, beating up people with his herdsmen stick. The police detained him and later released him”.

“So, last Sunday, around 3pm, they invaded our villages. They burnt 65 houses and all our food stuff.  We have buried 43 today and we will bury two tomorrow”, an elderly man in the area recounted.

The villages affected in the attacks are; Kigam, Kitakum, Unguwan Magaji , Unguwan Rimi and Kizipi, all in Chawai Chiefdom, in Kauru LGA, about 300km east of Kaduna metropolis.

Meanwhile, unofficial but very credible sources in some of the affected villages revealed that so far, they had recovered and buried 43 bodies made up of mainly women and children between penultimate Sunday when the attacks occurred and yesterday (Monday).

However, according to village sources, the Honourable member representing Kauru/Lere Federal Constituency in the Lower Chambers of the National Assembly, Simon Yakubu Arabo was the first government/elected official to visit the place after the attacks.

“Honourable Arabo came with five trucks of policemen and it was only after his arrival that we were able to search the whole bushes to recover some corpses. Before then the Fulani, scores in numbers, were still moving around the villages, destroying houses, looting and killing animals on sight. It was Honourable Simon Arabo who gave us some cash to buy what we can use to feed for the meantime”.

The Kaduna state Governor had through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in a statement described the killings as barbaric conduct by people who are opposed to peaceful and harmonious living by communities.

In the statement, the state government explained that as “it continues to work on security enhancements, it will also keep pursuing peace-building, resolving conflicts through dialogue between communities as a panacea for sustainable peace and development in the affected areas while disclosing that emergency reliefs for survivors has been ordered along with enhanced security”.

“The state governor, on behalf of the government, sympathizes with families that lost their loved ones and properties while also praying for the repose of their souls and wishes those that sustained injuries speedy recovery”.

The statement also reads that; “The Kaduna State Security Council has received preliminary reports of the attacks and ordered full scale investigation into the matter. It has taken further measures to curtail threats to peace in the area”.

“However, the government has directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide with immediate effect relief materials to the displaced persons in the communities”.

But, the umbrella body of the Southern Kaduna people, the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) through its National President, Solomon Musa has called on the state Governor who had recently promised the sum of N100million to rebuild the affected churches and mosques in the area to rather, rebuild the villages and dwelling places to address the immediate needs of traumatized people of the affected areas.