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Blood and fire lined the streets of southern Kaduna for the fourth day in a roll. The reprisal dust raised by the recent round of sectarian violence in the northern state of Kaduna which started on the morning of Sunday June 17, 2012 following multiple explosions at three churches appear to not have settled. As information recently made available to 247ureports.com indicates, the southern part of Kaduna State reignited on fire today June 20, 2012 following a misunderstanding between a Christian and a Muslim at a local market.
Today, the low income class community of Kujama situated within the Chikun local government area [LGA] bared the blood and fire trail. The mayhem began at the Kujama market when a native of southern Kaduna, a young boy, approached a young Muslim girl hawking boiled eggs – and had wanted to make a purchase when a ‘soft’ misunderstanding led to a shouting match between the two. It was not certain what sparked the misunderstanding but the reaction from the people nearby depicted the volatility of the tension marinating in Kaduna.
The reaction was quick and selective – as the Christian youths gathered against the Muslim youths who had also gathered in supposed of the Muslim girl. According an eyewitness, the gathered crowd turned into a wild brawl between Christian youths and Muslims youths. The fight was bloody and police sources tell 247ureports.com that five [5] people were stabbed to death at the Kujama market during the fight.
Following the fight inside the market, the Muslim and Christian youths headed out to the streets of Kujama along Kachia – Kaduna road to begin a rampage. “They blocked the roads and were smashing vehicles and burning houses” said an eyewitness who explained that “it was a riot and the police were nowhere to be found”. Other reports from the field indicate that it was a ruckus and 5 other dead bodies littered the Kachia – Kaduna road by the time the riot quelled.
The number of the injured was not made available to 247ureports.com. But a police confirmed that a total of 10 dead bodies were counted at the Kujama vicity. “The dead bodies were both Muslims and Christians”, said the source who went on to reveal that the men of the police force in Kaduna have become increasingly exhausted of the new turn of events – checkmating the dynamic nature of the unfolding violence has not been a simple task. “It has turned into something else”.
Speaking on the incident was the Kaduna police commissioner Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar who told our correspondent the situation has been put under control. Sounding extremely exhausted, the Commissioner said, “I have just returned from Kujama. Things are under control and calm” – and then he hung up abruptly.
Meanwhile, the many communities affected by the 4-day bloodshed have begun to cry out against the perceived insensitivity by the federal government of Nigeria – in particular, the President of the federal republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan. The community leaders who had aired their take to the media lamented the President’s absence – and the President’s inability to visit the site of the bombings and victims. They pointed to the central bank of Nigeria [CBN] governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s donation of N100million to attack victims in Kano – as comparative to what is expected in Kaduna today.
As per the whereabouts of the President, an official press statement released from the Presidency states, “President Jonathan will participate in the Summit’s four plenary meetings at Riocentro Plenary Hall on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as attend a reception to be hosted by the Brazilian President for Heads of State and Government at the Summit”. So the President is presently be hosted in Brazil at a reception with the Brazilian President.
