Kajuru killings: Fulani groups release names of 131 victims (full list)

Fulani groups have revealed the identities of the persons who reportedly died in the killings recorded in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna state.

Nasir el-Rufai, the state governor, who broke the news of the attacks last week, said 66 bodies were recovered after the incident.

The casualty figure given by the governor had sparked controversy, with some claiming that it was on a high side.

El-Rufai later said the death toll had risen to 130, a figure the police say they were yet to confirm.

In a statement issued under the aegis of Fulani organisations, the groups said it is undeniable that lives, livestock and property were lost in the attacks.

According to the statement, 66 bodies were initially recovered during military operations and were buried in mass graves.

They added that the bodies of 65 persons are yet to be recovered.

“We are constrained to present to the public the names of the victims of this barbaric massacre because it appears those that want to deny these atrocities committed on the pastoralist community in Kajuru local government of Kaduna state ever took place are abating in their desperate attempts to misinform the public by politicizing the killings and downplaying the number of casualties in spite of all the evidence provided by the security agencies including photographs and videos,” the groups said.

The groups said the attacks have left the communities with a humanitarian crisis, while calling on the government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the survivors.

According to them, “this is the third time that these forms of crimes are committed by the Adara communities against the pastoralist, now becoming a recurring phenomenon since 2017.”

The groups demanded that the federal government Kaduna state government set up an independent panel to investigate the killings and bring the perpetrators to book.

The groups include Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani Socio-Cultural Association, Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Mogbul Fulde Development Association (MOFDA) and Fulbe Global Development Initiative.