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Yuletide turns funerals in Southern Kaduna, gunmen sustain killing spree

Published

2 years ago

December 26, 2022

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai

Over the years, Southern Kaduna has been on the receiving end, facing incessant ruthless attacks on its communities by assailants identified as armed herdsmen.

The attacks, which in most cases have resulted in the loss of many lives, especially the breadwinners of many families, children, and women, have forced them to become internally displaced persons in their own land.

The lives of these survivors of attacks and those of the victims’ families are irreparably damaged; they don’t know when they’ll recover physically from their injuries or come to terms with their losses, and many remain deeply traumatised.

The Kaura Local Government communities have been subjected to the most heinous attacks and unending killings of their loved ones.

The most deadly that became more pronounced and now poses a daunting challenge that must be tackled was the one that occurred on September 26, 2021, in Madamai Community, where 38 people were killed, and the recent one that took place on December 18, 2022, where another 38 lives were gruesomely killed and 104 houses were completely razed down.

Life has become so brutal and nasty for the people of southern Kaduna, who are mostly farmers. They can no longer boast of their lives, farm crops, or even their settlements.

While other states take terrorism very seriously as a security threat in order to provide assistance to victims, the Federal and Kaduna State governments, on the other hand do not render adequate support to victims and their families.

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Most of these victims of terrorism and their families are left at the mercy of their own predicament. Their rights as individuals are not upheld and protected.

Some of the victims, in separate interviews that recounted their ordeals, described the carnage in their communities as the worst they have experienced.

Mr Rikichi David, who narrowly escaped the attack, told The PUNCH that before the day that the incident took place, the military usually comes around for patrol throughout the day and leaves by 10pm, but on that day, the military patrolled the community till after 10.30pm, which we even applauded them for adding 30 minutes to the time.

“We saw one of the trucks leisurely cruising inside the community, and we thought they came back to continue with their patrol, but suddenly they went out again at a very slow speed toward the town.”

“We didn’t know if they were observing if our people are sleeping or not, and at that time I vowed to myself that I am going to stay out till 11pm because other days, from 10pm to 10.30pm, I retired home.”

Rikichi, who said he lost six family members during the sad incident, said the army trucks left the community a few minutes before 11pm and he went back home 10 minutes later, lied down on his couch, and started hearing gunshots.

According to him, they were preparing to bury one of their family members on Wednesday, and people came from outside for the burial and became victims. About three women were sleeping in my house when they were all killed.

He explained that when the attack took place, “the military was close by because gunshots can be heard from kilometres away. The soldiers couldn’t have gone anywhere because they were moving at a very slow pace,” Rikichi said.

“We manage to crawl into the bush for safety. From where I was, I could see the attackers having a field day inside our community, killing people, burning our houses, and shouting “Allah Akbar.”

“While they were perpetrating their evil act, they were advancing towards the hill, which was their escape route because they started from the highway. When they got to the hill, the last person shot into the air for a while and left,” he further narrated.

According to him, they’re suspecting foul play by those who are supposed to be their defenders. When the attack was going on, these people were moving as if nothing were happening, and when it got to the village, it fired four times after the attackers had already left.

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“The attack was well coordinated, orchestrated, and executed by professionals because all the entry points to the village where help can come from were blocked and the men used sophisticated weapons and shot sporadically,” Rikichi, who is also the Chairman of the Kagoro Development Association, Malagum 1, stated.

Another victim, Mr. Linus Utung, a traditional title holder, described the carnage infiltrated into his community as ruthless to the sanctity of humanity.

He said, “The community was thrown into disarray when they heard gunshots and some of the locals were killed while the military was present.”

According to him, a village head told him that they saw how two boys who were running for safety were gunned down by the military.

He said his house and motorcycle were burnt down while he watched helplessly.

Also, Rev. John Hayab, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter, captured the agony of the people of Kaura during the 60th birthday anniversary of Apostle Emmanuel Kure, saying the killing of the 38 innocent, defenceless people of the Mallagum community was another piece of evidence that the killers have yet to be neutralised, as claimed by the government.

Amid the bloodletting, a series of peace talks have been organised by the traditional institutions, religious leaders, politicians, and other critical stakeholders to identify the conflict triggers and chart a way forward.

Some sympathisers who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews during the funeral mass for the 38 gruesomely killed in Malagum and Sogwong communities lamented the neglect of the Kaduna State government in providing relief materials to the victims.

Their reactions echoed, “This has shown the ineptitude of the government towards the people of southern Kaduna.”

The councillor representing Malagum 1 community, Hon. Atuk Stephen, who spoke to our correspondent, said residents had deserted their communities to seek refuge in neighbouring villages.

He called the situation “barbaric” and urged the government to act quickly to provide relief materials to the victims.

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“As I am talking to you now, none of these villagers escaped with a single cup of beans; all of their food stuffs were burnt down.

Atuk expressed concern that the carnage perpetrated by the communities would prevent the elections from taking place.

However, he noted, “There are ongoing plans to disenfranchise our people from participating in the 2023 general elections, and the government must show its might in ensuring these terrorists are crushed while sanity returns.”

He said there has been no security stationed in the affected communities until now, calling on the government to deploy security in the vulnerable communities to help reduce tension.

In one of their emergency meetings, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Southern Kaduna chapter, through its chairman, Alhaji Haruna Usman condemned the ceaseless killings among farmers and herdsmen in the state and resolved to do everything possible to ensure that the people live in mutual respect, understanding, and peaceful coexistence irrespective of any difference.

He noted with sadness that the lives of farmers and herdsmen are wasted incessantly in the communities over trivial issues that can be solved amicably.

The chairman reiterated the association’s willingness to contribute and support efforts to restore normalcy and lasting peace to all nooks and crannies of the area, against which he appealed to all associations to organise meetings and dialogues that would aid in uniting the people.

On his part, the Catholic Bishop of Kafachan, His Lordship Bishop Kundi, lamented, during the burial of the 38 victims, the level of killings and government ineptitude towards the people of Southern Kaduna.

The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, in a press statement issued to newsmen over the weekend, said that during the mass burial for the slain victims, they heard very disturbing allegations against the personnel of the Nigerian Army in the massacre.

The union lamented that there was no representation by the Kaduna State government.

“No message of any sort was sent. No relief material has been sent to the displaced,” the union stated.

According to SOKAPU, six families were wiped out and 102 houses were totally burnt. Homes were looted of grains and valuables before being burned down by the assailants, whom survivors identified as armed Fulani herdsmen working with men they claimed to be from the Nigerian Army.

“After the burial service, scores of youths from the affected villages, including members of the Christian clergy from the affected communities, rushed to meet us with stories of how the army may have been used in the killings.”

Related Topics:Featured Gunmen Southern Kaduna Yuletide

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NLC insists on withdrawal of Tax Reform Bills

Published

11 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

NLC insists on withdrawal of Tax Reform Bills

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday insisted on the withdrawal of the Tax Reform Bills forwarded by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly for passage to enable all key national stakeholders to be part of the process.

Recall that the bills had drawn sharp criticisms from some parts of the country, especially the north, which saw them as anti-growth in the region.

It also implored the government at all levels to prioritise the welfare and well-being of the citizens in 2025.

In its New Year message to Nigerians, especially workers, the President of NLC, Mr Joe Ajaero, equally said organised labour would step up its battle for an upward wage review for workers to mitigate the high costs of living.

The message, titled “In 2025, hope is in our collective resolve,’’ read: “As we step into the year 2025, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, extends warm New Year greetings to every worker and citizen across our great nation.

‘’The challenges of survival we have faced as a people must not hold us down. Instead, let us find inner strength to build a collective resolve to drive Nigeria out of the morass of underdevelopment that has held it captive for far too long.

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“No external power will deliver us from the scourge of economic hardship and stagnation. It is only through our collective effort and determination that we can propel our nation forward.

“We must build inner strength to find this collective resolve across the length and breadth of our great nation. This is our civic responsibility—one we must embrace with unwavering determination.
“We call on the government at all levels to ensure that governance translates into real benefits for the people. The welfare of the citizens remains the primary justification for the existence of any government.

“Access to food and nutrition, better healthcare, quality housing, education, transportation and greater security of lives and properties, including the right to participate in decisions on how they are ruled, are the key expectations of the people and workers.

“Policies must, therefore, reflect transparency, honesty, and inclusivity, devoid of chicanery, nepotism, and strong-arm tactics.

“To create a thriving, democratic nation, we need a system built on the tenets of social dialogue, allowing critical stakeholders to participate actively in nation-building. Such inclusiveness will foster deeper ownership of government policies, ensuring stability and sustainability.

“It is on this premise that we once again call on the federal government to withdraw its present tax bills before the National Assembly so that all key national stakeholders will be part of the process.
‘’As we embark on a national dialogue in Ibadan in January, 2025, we want to join hands in co-creating a new national tax law that would enjoy wider acceptance and fulfill its purpose of propelling national development which we believe is the main objective of government.

“As we move into 2025, we urge the federal government to prioritize industrial peace by taking social dialogue seriously, pursuing pro-human-progress policies, and respecting agreements with trade unions.

NLC insists on withdrawal of Tax Reform Bills

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Wike: Demolition of illegal buildings, shanties in FCT to continue

Published

30 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike

Wike: Demolition of illegal buildings, shanties in FCT to continue

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has vowed that he will continue his demolition of shanties, illegal buildings and enforcement of payment of ground rent in the territory in the new year without bothering about what anybody will say.

Speaking after he inspected the ongoing construction Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal and Saburi – Dei Dei road, in Abuja on Tuesday, Wike said he will not be distracted by the controversies that have trailed his ongoing demolition of structures in the FCT.

“Nothing distracts me. I am very focused,” Wike replied when asked by journalists whether the outcries over ongoing demolition and enforcement of ground rent may cause a huge distraction in 2025.

“Even if people are complaining, it is part of governance. You don’t expect that you will superintend over the affairs of people and then you satisfy everybody.

“People must complain, but I can tell you such complaints cannot distract us. I am very focused, and since it is part of our job, we will continue to do what is necessary.

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“Forget about what people say about demolition, demolition must go ahead. We demolish shanties, we demolish illegal buildings. It doesn’t matter what anybody will say.

“At the end of the day, they will still come back to say, ‘you did a good job.’

“So, don’t bother about what people say, be focused and at the end of the day, you will achieve results for a greater number of people, not for a few individuals,” Wike added.

The Minister however said the FCT Administration will do more for the residents of the capital city in 2025.

According to him, things will get better, God willing, for residents of FCT in the coming year.

“All we still require is the support of residents; of business owners, so that we can achieve more than what we have achieved in 2024.

“So, I pray that God Almighty will continue to protect us and give us better security as we experienced in 2024.

“Everybody can see, even within this festive period, security is quite intact, and we believe in 2025, we will get a better Abuja,” he said.

Wike: Demolition of illegal buildings, shanties in FCT to continue

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Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack

Published

52 minutes ago

January 1, 2025

Trends Admin

It took authorities more than a week to identify the victim of the 22 December incident

Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack

Police in New York City have named a woman who was set on fire and burned to death last week on a subway train in Brooklyn.

Debrina Kawam, 57, of New Jersey, has been identified as the victim of the seemingly random 22 December attack that burned her body beyond recognition.

Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is accused of starting the blaze with a lighter while Ms Kawam was asleep. He allegedly fanned the flames with a shirt and then watched the fire grow from a bench outside the subway car.

Last week, a grand jury indicted Mr Zapeta, who claims to have no memory of the incident, on four counts of murder and one count of arson.

Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner, said the death was ruled a homicide and caused by “thermal and inhalational injuries”. She made the identification public on Tuesday.

“The identity was confirmed by the medical examiner yesterday through fingerprint analysis, following a multi-agency effort with our partners in law enforcement,” she said.

It took authorities more than a week to identify Ms Kawam’s body.

At a press conference on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that Ms Kawam had recently spent time at a city homeless shelter.

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“It really reinforces what I’ve been saying, people should not be living on our subway system, they should be in a place of care. And no matter where she lived, that should not have happened,” he said.

Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn district attorney, said at a press conference early in the investigation that authorities had worked to collect DNA evidence and fingerprints from Ms Kawam’s remains.

“It’s a priority for me, for my office, for the police department to identify this woman, so we can notify her family,” Mr Gonzalez said.

False and unverified information about her, including a fake AI-generated picture, had circulated online in the aftermath of the attack.

There was also an outpouring of support, including a vigil held for the then-unidentified victim last week.

Police say that Ms Kawam was motionless, apparently asleep, on a stationary subway train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn early on 22 December when Mr Zapeta allegedly approached her with a lighter.

The pair never interacted, and police believe they did not know each other.

Jessica Tisch, New York’s police commissioner, said that the smell of smoke drew police officers and Metropolitan Transit Authority personnel to the fire and they extinguished the flames.

“Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car,” Ms Tisch said.

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Authorities declared Ms Kawam dead at the scene.

Ms Tisch described the incident as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being”.

In a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutor Ari Rottenberg said Mr Zapeta told investigators that he had been drinking and did not remember the incident, but did identify himself in photos and surveillance video showing the fire being lit.

The suspect, who is originally from Guatemala, was deported from the US in 2018 and later re-entered the country illegally, immigration authorities said.

He is due back in court on 7 January, prosecutors said.

Despite a decline in crime rates on New York City’s subway, the incident is one of a string of attacks that has raised concerns for riders on America’s largest mass transit system.

The subway safety issue arose again on Tuesday afternoon when someone was pushed on to the tracks in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood in front of an oncoming subway, according to New York City police.

The unidentified male victim was admitted to hospital with a head injury, authorities said. Police later detained a suspect, according to local media.