45 reported dead as Kaduna killings continue

The death toll in the attacks on five communities in Kauru local government area of Kaduna state has risen to 45.

Armed gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen reportedly invaded the villages on Sunday night, killing 35 people, mostly women and children, while several houses were burnt.

Attacks on community in the southern part of Kaduna state have become a reoccurring incident with heavy casualties.

However, while condemning the incident,  Kaduna state government says the latest attack will not derail ongoing peace efforts.

Last Saturday, some communities in the trouble-prone areas signed a peace accord, resolving to end the attacks.

Nasir el-Rufai, the governor, who attended the event, had praised the communities and assured them that government was determined to ensure security of lives and property.

The state government in a statement a statement on Tuesday said it was  sad over incident and stressed need for peace-building and enhancing security in the area.

The statement which was issued  by Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to Governor Nasir El-Rufai condole with the victims of the attack.

The state government described the killings as barbaric conduct by people who are opposed to peaceful and harmonious living by communities.

The 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 area.

It said emergency relief for survivors has been ordered along with enhanced security.

“The government sympathizes with families that lost their loved ones and properties. The Governor prays for the repose of their souls and wishes those that sustained injuries speedy recovery.

“The Kaduna State Security Council has received preliminary reports of the attacks and ordered full scale investigation in to 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,” Aruwan said.

The  Southern Kaduna Peoples Union  (SOKAPU) reiterated calls for the establishment of a military base in southern Kaduna to check the activities of perpetrators of the attacks.

National chairman of SOKAPU, Solomon Musa, a lawyer who signed the statement, lamented the reoccurring invasions and killings taking place in rural communities in the southern part of the state unabated.

“It has now become abundantly clear to even the worst skeptics that Southern Kaduna has become a killing field, where genocide is taking place unabated,” he said.

According to him,  some powerful people were being sponsoring  terrorists to eliminate the people.

“While the attacks have continued to fester, the efforts of governments and security agencies are yet to be felt, seen or appreciated by our people,” he said.

“SOKAPU has consistently called on governments and security agencies to bolster intelligence gathering mechanisms to detect early warning signs.

“We have also called for the establishment of a military Barrack and security formations around the attack-prone axis of Kauru, Jema’a, Sanga and Kauru as both deterrence and as a quick response strategy but to no avail.”