“We cant breath,” Southern Kaduna cry out after fresh rounds of Saturday bloody killings
By Musliu Kuba
The people of Southern Kaduna have appealed to local and international support following fresh spate of bloody attacks on their communities.
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, (SAKAPU) said in a statement on Saturday that several people were killed following attacks from Fulani herdsmen. Ten people were killed on Friday but the attackers came back on Saturday morning.
SOKAPU said on Saturday morning, around 6am, the grieving Fanstwam natives of Zipkak, a semi-urban town in Fanstwam Chiefdom, Jemaa LGA in Southern Kaduna, were once again forced to flee for dear lives after armed Fulani militia sprank from nearby bushes and started shooting and killing them.
The group said fortunately, the youths of the community resisted the invaders and they fled back without any harm to the distraught natives who were grieving the killing of 10 members of the town slain the previous evening.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai had immediately imposed a 24-hour curfew over the entire Jemmaa LGA.
It was under the curfew that the Fulani militia returned to wreck more havoc until the valiant youths of the community, with very crude weapons, repelled the cowards.
“The militia had crept into the town around 7pm, yesterday, Friday, 24th July, 2020 and rained bullets on the peaceful community.
Thought Zikpak is just about two kilometers from the heart of Kafanchan where there are presence of some soldiers, the violent group had a field day,” SOKAPU said.
The group said after looting and vandalising the town, they burnt part of it and gruesomely murdered the following:
1)Joel Cephas, 5 years old
2)Kingsley Raphael, 28
3) Katung kantiock 60
4) Luka Garba 75
5) Victor Ishaya 22
6)Madam Dakaci 52
7) Kuyet Yayock 25
8)Cecelia Audu 65
9)Matina Dauda 70
10)Yanasan Dauda 70
It listed those fatally wounded as Mrs Jonathan Ishaya; Marthins Agang; Kassan Duniya; Jenifer Nicodemus and 5 years old Joel Cephas.
SOKAPU said “Also, as it rained around 8pm, Thursday, 23rd July 2020 at Agwala Magayaki of Doka Avong, Kajuru LGA in Southern Kaduna, armed Fulani militia took advantage of the darkness and torrential rain and attacked the village for the second time in a month, leaving 6 persons dead and two fatally wounded.”
Those killed were Kajuru are: John Mallam, 80; Albarka Mallam, 85; Jumare Sule, 76. Others were Hannatu Garba 55; Thaddeus Albarka, 32
Luvinus Danmori, 52 and
Daniel Mukadas,70.
The fatally injured are Danmori Sule and Alheri Mandela.
It could be recalled that on the 20th June, 2020, the same village was invaded by the Fulani militia, some known by the villagers, and seven persons were killed.
SOKAPU said on the 22nd, July 2020, as it rained on Kizachi-Chawai, a far removed village bounded by hills, in Chawai chiefdom, Kauru LGA in Southern Kaduna, Fulani militia broke into homes, and attacked villagers with knives, daggers and matchetes.
It listed those killed as:
1) Kefas Monday, 17yrs
2) Lydia Monday,.14yrs
3) Jummai, 9yrs
4) Giwa Thomas,.14yrs
5) Living Yohanna, 27yrs.
Monday Ibrahim,.45.and Alheri Dauda 13, were seriously injured.
“These brings to a total of 23 armless, harmless Southern Kaduna natives killed by Fulani in the past 72 hours.
These is apart from over 40 murdered victims of Fulani militia in Kaura and Zangon Kataf less than a week earlier. These and several others have created a humanitarian crisis in Chikun, Zangon Kataf, Kaura and Kajuru LGAs as thousands of IDPs can barely survive hunger, sickness and various trauma.”
The group said “it is therefore totally untrue that the mass murder of our people is an outcome of clashes between criminal gangs as portrayed by President Mohammed Buhari, through his Spokesman, Shehu Garba.”
The group said victims are not members of any criminal gangs, but mostly kids, women and the aged.
“The so-called formidable security arrangement he claimed to be in place in Southern Kaduna is it at best, a ruse and a mirage, going by increasing casualties and the impunity of the Fulani armed men.
We under a genocidal campaign by Fulani militia who have become sacred cows with President Buhari and Governor Nasir el-Rufai, both Fulani, twisting the truth to say the Fulani are on “reprisals.” SOKAPU said.
It added “We are therefore calling on the Federal and Kaduna state authorities to do the right things and stop the propaganda against us.
They should ameliorate the suffering of our people and return lives to normalcy.
The International Community and all men and women of conscience should also intervene in the suffering of our people who are under a porgrom that the state seems to be doing very little to stop.”