From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Against the backdrop of rising cases of banditry and kidnapping in Kaduna State, the Atyap people of Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of the state have cried to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, over frequent invasion of their community by bandits who kill the people and burn their houses. President, Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA), Comrade Samuel T. Achie, said there was recent unrelenting, unprovoked and incessant massacre of Atyap people by bandits in southern part of Kaduna state.
In a statement, yesterday, Comrade Achie said: “It is with a heavy heart, once more, to present to you facts and figures on the recent unrelenting, unprovoked and the incessant massacre of Atyap people, who are mainly Agrarian peace loving people in the southern part of Kaduna State.”
He said because of the massive displacement of his people, two IDP camps were opened by NGOs in Madachip and Zonkwa towns, to cater for the displaced people from the various communities.
To this end, the Atyap community leader appealed to governor El-rufai, saying, “I sincerely call on the government of Kaduna State, under the leadership of His Excellency, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai, to come to our aid and make it a priority, not in speech, but in action, to put an end to the incessant killings in our land, and also intervene on the basic needs at the IDP camps.”
Comrade Achie informed that between July and September, 41 Atyap were killed, several houses burnt, while many more persons were displaced.
“In all these attacks, a total number of 41 people were killed. With these occurrences, I have every reason to inform my fellow Atyap sons and daughters at home and in diaspora, and the world at large, that the entire Atyap community is under siege and call on all to come to our rescue before we are all eliminated in our ancestral land.”