In recent years, Kaduna State has become the capital killing field and a breeding ground for genocidal violence against indigenous Christians in West Africa. This is as repeated killings and burning of holy houses of worship continues unchecked and/or unabated. Without reprieve from the All Progressive Congress [APC] led State or federal government, the mass graves continue its increase to the length and breadth of southern Kaduna while displaced persons find themselves stuck with the status of refuges in their homeland.
Sad as it appears, the bloodshed and marginalization of the indigenous Christians of Southern Kaduna seems to not let up. This is against the recent United Kingdom’s warning to the Nigerian Muslim led government on the genocide killings of Christians. Although, the federal government of Nigeria denied the allegations of religious based genocidal killings, it persists in Kaduna State.
Information available to 247ureports.com obtained from competent sources indicate the recent increase in violence and bloodshed in Kaduna is directly tied to actions of the State Governor, Malam Nasiru El Rufai. The Governor is accused of being openly anti-Christian indigenes and overly pro-Fulani domination. One of the sources out rightly stated he [El Rufai] was a tribal/religious bigot. “The bad type”.
Shortly after Malam Nasiru El Rufai arrived at the Government House in Kaduna, one of his first major actions was to confiscate 72,000 hectares of land belonging to the Ikulu people of Zango Kataf – predominately Christians and non-Fulanis. He confiscated the land under the guise of utilizing for cattle rearing, and refused compensating the owners of the land, or even engage the community in talks. The land was handed over to Fulani cattle grazers.
The Ikulu monarch who El Rufai snatched the land away from is the blood brother to Bishop Mathew Kuka.
The original concept was for the confiscated land to be utilized for cattle rearing, not for housing. But the land has since been converted to a Fulani community. A RUGA of sought – with health clinics, housing, privately owned lands etc. The Governor has acted to give the area – now named Laduga – a District – with a District Head. A Fulani district head.
Interestingly, the Governor cleverly moved the Laduga District out of the Zango Kataf local government area where it belongs – to another local government area of Kachia. The Governor’s reason was to move the Laduga District away from the Christian dominated Zango Kataf to Muslim dominated local government area [Kachia].
Presently, Laduga is seeking an emirate status.
Deceptively, the largest single farm owed by a private citizen is now located inside Laduga. The farm is owned by Abdul Malik Durugunwa – a politician – who got the farmland for peanuts – a source said he paid nothing for the farmland. Durugunwa, a Fulani man by tribe currently seats at the National Population Commission as a representative of Kaduna/Katsina.
Victims of the numerous midnight attacks by Fulani militia who are predominately Christian indigenes have alleged Laduga to have turned a launching pad for Fulani militia. “They are bringing Fulanis from all over Africa to populate the piece of land” said one of the indigenes while explaining that most of the attacks come from the direction of Laduga. And “when they finish attacking, they run back to Laguda with their weapons”. During an impromptu check by the security forces, an impressive cache of ammunition was found being stored inside Laduga.
This is in line with Governor of Kano State, Malam Ganduje lamentation of June 6, 2020 over the influx of Fulani from foreign countries like Mali, Cameroon and other African countries “One can clearly see that these migrating herdsmen always move with dangerous weapons and are the ones causing conflicts in most places around the North and the nation at large.” Ganduje called on the Federal Government to act to halt migrating herdsmen.
After each attack, a source laments, Gov. Nasiru El Rufai will go to Fulani side of Laduga to distribute relief materials while the victims will seek food and shelters in nearby villagers. “How do you see that?”
As a caveat, what appears near criminal and disheartening is – of all the eleven [11] areas proposed by the Late Sardauna in the 50s to be used a gazing areas [instead of going to Niger and/or Chad in search of water during the dry season], only Laduga is occupied completely by Fulanis. Only Laduga is located in Christian Kaduna. The rest of the 10 areas are situated in areas predominated by Muslims. In those 10 areas, there are virtually no Fulanis living in them. Some of the crazing areas – as proposed were – ABET, Rafin Sanyi, Kadasko, Sanga Forest, Damau, Brini Gwari.
In 1996, Hamid Alli, the current Customs boss was the then Governor of Kaduna State. He oversaw the confiscate of the first 34,000 hectares of land from the Ikulu people for cattle grazing. He constructed dams and instituted nomadic education.
247ureports.com spoke to one the prime residents of Laduga – Abdul Malik Durunguwa. He was quick to jump at the conversation as soon as he knew the inquiry concerned Laduga. He began shouting and insulting our correspondent saying “the land is a God given right to him and his people. This is our Palestine”. He questioned why our correspondent referred to the natives as natives – that “he as a Fulani man has equal rights to the land”.
The Ikulu people has sought respite from the Courts.
Meanwhile, nightly attacks continue to be launched from Laduga against the natives of Southern Kaduna who predominately Christians.
