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 the State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over frequent invasion of their community by bandits, killing the people and burning thier 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 on Tuesday, Comrade Achie said, “It is with a heavy heart once more to present to you fact 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 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.
“This press statement has become inevitable because of my resolved to keep you updated as promised in my last interaction with you. After the last briefing the killings of Atyap people by the Fulani militia subsided for just a few days. But surprisingly in what seems to be a planned reinforcement, the AK 47 wielding Fulani militias in pursuit of their genocide ransacked seven villages.
“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, 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.
“More numbers have continued to pile up in the IDP camps as a result of the continuous onslaught in the land. The burnt houses in the various communities are still standing with no hope of resettlement by the government as it was the case after the Zango crisis of 1992.
“I want to call on the security agencies to double their efforts to ensure lasting peace in the land for economic growth and development. Efforts should be made to ensure that those that have resolved to go back to their homes are guaranteed the safety of their homes, lives and property to encourage others to take same steps.
“The peace moves indeed are necessary but what we are witnessing of recent is that such peace meetings have turned to avenues where lies are told that we all need peace without any serious commitment from our opponents. While peace is being advocated at the meeting, the actions outside the meetings shows otherwise, making the whole thing an exercise in futility.
“At anytime a peace action is initiated, the next will be an attack on our people by the same Fulani militia. Enough of the game of hide and seek with precious lives loss almost on daily basis in almost all our villages.
“In all these, we remain resolute not to attack any other settlements in our chiefdom as my humble self and His Royal Highness, Sir Dominic Yahaya keep preaching the need for peaceful coexistence with all the residents of the chiefdom.
“I said it in the time past, and I will say it again that we are better up staying together in peace as we all need each other for economic growth and sustainability”. The statement read.