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Yuletide turns funerals in Southern Kaduna, gunmen sustain killing spree

Published

1 year 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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LAUTECH: Police officers accused of killing student arrested

Published

10 mins ago

April 25, 2024

Trends Admin

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adebola Hamzat

LAUTECH: Police officers accused of killing student arrested

The Oyo State Police Command said some officers involved in the alleged killing of a student, Damilola Iyanda, at a club in Ogbomoso, have been apprehended and detained.

According to a statement by the spokesman of the command, Adewale Osifeso stated that the officers involved in the shooting have been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku.

The deceased was allegedly killed by a policeman identified as Inspector Rasheed Saheed, while two other people were also injured during the incident.

Osifeso noted that the commissioner of police in the state, Adebola Hamzat has ordered the Homicide Department of the State Criminal Investigation Department with the Deputy Commissioner of Police directly in charge of the investigations to take up the matter.

The statement reads: “The Oyo State Police Command wishes to clear the air about the unfortunate shooting incident that occurred on Monday 22/4/2024 at about 0130hrs around a popular Night Club along, “Under G” Area, Owode-Ogbomoso resulting in the demise of Iyanda Damilola, ‘m’.

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“Investigation report reveals that during the early hours of the same date and time, a distress call was received by Operatives of the Command’s Monitoring Unit stationed within Ogbomoso through the Director of a popular Night Club within the axis, requesting for immediate intervention and protection from rampaging suspected student cultists who were at the time harassing guests and destroying club property.

“In a swift response to the call by the Club Director, A team of officers led by one Insp Rasheed Saheed arrived at the scene. The fracas worsened as deliberate efforts were made by the suspected cultists to prevent the Police from further gaining access into the crime scene while shots were allegedly fired from different angles including from the intervening officers who fired warning shots to disperse onlookers.

“The incident recorded the death of one Iyanda Damilola, ‘m’, and the injury of his brother, one Iyanda Femi Israel who has since been discharged from the hospital after treatment. Worthy of note is that the CP has ordered that the case be taken up by the Homicide Department of the State Criminal Investigation Department with the Deputy Commissioner of Police directly in charge of the investigations.

“All the Operatives involved in the incident including Inspr Rasheed Saheed are currently under detention at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku. Lastly, the Oyo State Police Command assures members of the public particularly the Student Community of the swift dispensation of Justice.”

LAUTECH: Police apprehend officers allegedly involved in killing of student in Ogbomoso

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In fresh attack, bandits invade two Zamfara communities, kill three, abduct many

Published

3 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Trends Admin

In fresh attack, bandits invade two Zamfara communities, kill three, abduct many

Bandits have attacked two communities, Dauran and Zurmi in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing three persons and abducting an unconfirmed number of people.

The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday night along with the razing down of the MTN service mast in the town, shutting down the network service in the area.

Channels TV quoted spokesperson for Zamfara State Police Command Yazid Abubakar as confirming the attack on Thursday.

He said three persons were killed in the attack but added that only one person was abducted.

“Yes, there was an attack in Zurmi town yesterday night and our men fought gallantly to repel that attack but unfortunately, three persons were killed and one person kidnapped,” he said.

“The MTN network operating in the town was also set ablaze during the attack.”

A resident of the town Nasiru Zurmi said the bandits invaded the town around 9pm after kidnapping five people in Dauran town.

According to him, three persons were killed in Zurmi town while a yet-unknown number of persons were abducted at the Emir’s Palace.

He said, “The bandits entered the town with sophisticated weapons around 9pm. They killed three persons and kidnapped three persons at the Emir’s Palace. The bandits also attacked Dauran and kidnapped five people there.”

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119 inmates escape Suleja prison after stormy rain

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Trends Admin

119 inmates escape Suleja prison after stormy rain

No fewer than 119 inmates yesterday escaped from the the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Suleja, Niger state, following the heavy downpour that destroyed the facility.

According to a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Command, Adamu Duza, at least 10 of the escapees have been recaptured and taken into custody following the the immediate activation of recapturing mechanism in collaboration with sister security agencies.

“A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on yesterday night has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of a total of one hundred and eighteen (119) inmates of the facility.

“The Service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies have so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot chase to recapture the rest.”

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Dazu said that the heavy rainfall that wreaked havoc on the custodial facility which was constructed during the colonial era, lasted over several hours, forcing it to give way for the inmates to escape.

“The Service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era, and that they are old and weak.

“The Service is making frantic efforts to see that all ageing facilities give way for modern ones. This is evidenced in the ongoing construction of six (6) number of 3000-capacity ultra-modern custodial centres in all the geo-political zones in Nigeria as well as the ongoing reconstruction and renovation of existing ones.

“The Service wishes to assure the public that it is on top of the situation and that they should go about their businesses without fear or hindrance. The public is further enjoined to look out for the fleeing inmates and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency.” The statement reads in parts