Birnin-Gwari villagers say the ‘herders’ lynched by a mob in Kaduna State on Sunday were terrorists from the Republic of Sudan.
Chairman of Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union, Ishaq Kasai, disclosed this in a statement, stressing that the alleged lynched persons were not genuine herdsmen but terrorists.
Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai had condemned in strong words the killing of two herders by a mob in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Sunday, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the security agencies reported that the mob forceably seized the two herders from security personnel on unsubstantiated claims of being linked with banditry.
But BEPU said it was falsely reported that herders were lynched, asserting that those killed were “international criminal syndicates that had been terrorising the Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area.”
The union also attached an ID card allegedly belonging to one of the terrorists.
It stated, “BEPU findings revealed that the alleged lynching occurred after the suspects forcefully snatched a motorcycle from a farmer at the outskirts of Birnin-Gwari main town.
“Therefore, BEPU is concerned to observe that, the statement issued by Government on the issue did not equally capture the true story.
“More so, on the same day when the mob action occurred, one driver was killed and scores were kidnapped at Dogon Hawa and Tabanni areas. This is in addition to killings and kidnapping of the innocent citizens of Birnin-Gwari on the roads, in farms and their homes which have become a daily occurrence.
“BEPU once more, appreciates the effort of security agencies towards restoring peace in our area and urged government officials in showing concerns to any ugly situation to always be in a cautious mood in issuing any statement that is capable of undermining the peace-loving, helpless people that are under siege by the terrorists. This is with view to averting further escalation of the situation.
“Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union, BEPU, is saddened with the mob action by aggrieved youths in Birnin-Gwari on Sunday 2nd October, 2022 where two alleged “herdsmen” were killed in a cruel and gruesome manner.”
The union expressed appreciation to the security forces for their efforts and successes recorded in sanitising Birnin-Gwari.
It stated, “BEPU, a distinct and peaceful union is clearly against any form of mob action under any guise and is hereby drawing the attention of the citizens not to resort to taking laws in to their hands irrespective of frustration and provocation. Citizens are urged to always channel their grievances to appropriate authorities and above all continue to devote themselves to prayers for divine intervention in the current insecurity situation.
“The union once more appreciates the efforts and successes recorded by the resilient security forces in their efforts to sanitize Birnin-Gwari general area and call on them to step-up the operations into communities that surround Birnin-Gwari town where bandits are currently demanding and forcing communities to pay “protection fee” and crop harvesting levies, respectively.
“Clearly, while the lynching of suspected bandits is highly condemnable, the Union observes with deep concern the way the issue has been reported to selectively and deliberately portray Birnin Gwari in bad taste, and targeted to prove a false narrative on the issue to endanger the helpless innocent citizens of Birnin-Gwari Local Government.”
