Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Police Command on Thursday evening confirmed killing of 21 locales in some communities in Atyab Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna State despite the curfew imposed on the council.
Due to killing of a farmer in Zangon in June, the Kaduna State Government had imposed a 24-hour curfew on Zangon Kataf and Kauru Local Government areas on June 11, 2020, which was still in place when the latest attacks took place.
Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, ASP Muhammed Jalige told Daily Sun that, 21 unlucky locales were killed by unidentified armed men while three others were injured between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
No arrest has been made in connection with the crime but, the Police Spokesman said, surveillance has been intensified in the affected villages which included Apiashyim, Kibori, Apiako, Atakmawei and Magamiya
But, Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) in a statement by it’s Spokesman, Luka Binniyat, put the figure of the dead at 33.
According to Binniyat, “last night (Wednesday) 33 Atyap natives, who were among hundreds of thousands of already starving indigenes under a 24-hour curfew that was 65 days yesterday, were killed in five Atyap villages in Atyap Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf LGA in Southern part of Kaduna state by Fulani militia.
“Prior to now, they were all shutdown with fierce armed military men patrolling and enforcing the 24-hour curfew. But when the gunmen struck, they were not on ground.
Four Atyap youths from Majuju, and Kibori villages who went to farm under the curfew were arrested by soldiers after being thoroughly beaten and handed over to the Police who whisked them to SCID, Kaduna. They have been denied bail since 26th Jue, 2020.
“Last night, around 11 pm, trucks loads of armed Fulani militia made their way through military checkpoints under the curfew and stormed Apiashyim and Kibori villages. They lay siege to Apyaishyim killing, looting and burning houses. In the wake of the cruelty, they left six people dead, and 20 houses burnt.
“In nearby Kibori village, 7 persons were killed by the marauding, pampered Fulani militia.
“Around 12 am, they struck Atakmawei sleeping community and carried out another carnage after which 12 persons were killed and ten houses burnt.
“They also went to Apyiako and killed 3 people, and burnt homes, including the home of late Col. Bobai Ishaku among others.
“At the same time, Magamiya village was also attacked and 5 people killed and seven houses burnt. The attacker operated between 11 pm and 4 am this morning before they left unchallenged.
“For the records, we want to say that Governor Nasir El-Rufai has tied up our law-abiding people under an irrational, protracted curfew which is obviously intended to cause maximum harm to our communities. For example, we are inundated by daily cries for food, medicine and money, with rising cases of child malnutrition and kwashiorkor as parents cannot go out and look for food for their starving children”, the statement read in part.