SOUTHERN KADUNA PEOPLES UNION(SOKAPU)
PRESS STATEMENT
In what looks like an unceasing siege on Gbagyi communities of Southern Kaduna, armed Fulani herdsmen last night simultaneously attacked Kugosi and Kajari communities in Chikun ward, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State killing three persons.
They also burnt down homes and property in the communities.
24 hours to the above attack, rampaging gang of armed herdsmen lay siege to Manini village, in Chikun ward killing two.
In the same manner, a day before the Manini violence, a horde of armed herdsmen stormed Katarma village, in the same Chikun ward and killed two family members.
In the past three days, at least 7 persons have been killed by these outlaws.
According to village sources, those killed in Manini are: Markus Danjuma a 50 year old farmer with three wives and 12 Children and Sharana Danjuma 42, who left behind a wife and five children.
The gunmen came on motorcycles around 8pm on Tuesday and started shooting at anything at sight, traumatized villagers told SOKAPU.
Since the village has suffered similar invasions in the past, the villagers had devised ways of escaping, thus children, women, the aged and all found their ways into the bushes carrying only what they wore.
Sadly, the two victims were cut down by the bullets of the aggressors for trying to fend off the marauders while others fled, it was learnt,
At the time of writing this statement Kugosi and Kajari had been deserted with scores of villagers wondering in the bush with no food or water.
Those who made contact with us said that the invaders were still around the village looting and burning down homes, bans of grains and any asset they could not loot.
These communities, as indeed many other affected communities in Chikun and environs have attained relative wealth from mass grain farming and keeping large herds of cattle, sheep and goats.
But the invaders have rustled these cows in their thousands including sheep and goats. After looting tones of grains, they set fire to the ones they could not steal.
The villages have also been impoverished by mass kidnapping of villagers who have to cough out tens of millions to pay as ransom to the murderers in exchange for the loves ones.
SOKAPU has a chronicle of the humongous loses suffered by these law abiding village in the hands of herdsmen trying to forcefully eject them and occupy their lands while government watches on.
These wanton cruelties on these native Christian communities have been ongoing without let since January 6th 2020 with great casualties in human lives and material loses. Curiously, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has never mentioning them talk less of visiting to see for himself.
But early this month, el-Rufai rushed to inspect some Muslim villages that had come under the attack of bandits in Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Igabi LGAs in the northern part of the state and apologized over his inability to protect them. He also promised to rout the bandits and had since swung into action.
It is clear that the governor does not see any humanity among the Gbagyi Christian victims and as such he is unable to show any sympathy, no apathy, zero pity and no sense of responsibility towards them.
This attitude is consistent with governor Nasir el-Rufai when it comes to how he treats the Southern part of Kaduna that is dominantly Christian and the northern part that is majority Muslim.
SOKAPU is hereby appealing to the governor to live by the oath of impartiality he swore to at his inauguration and accord all indigenes and residents of Kaduna state the constitutional responsibility he owes everyone.
We also call on all well meaning individuals, groups and corporate entities to come to the aid of these displaced persons. They are in dire need of food, medical attentions and temporary shelter.
Sign: Luka Binniyat
(National Public Relations Officer)
