The youths of Atyap communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Tuesday trekked 12 kilometres from Samaru to Zonkwa, to protest the incessant killings in their communities.
The youths in thousands, all dressed in black, trekked for about two hours while others came from different Atyap communities and converged at the local government headquarters.
Mr Solomon Kuyeh, Chairman, Youth Wing of the Atyap Community Development Association, while addressing the crowd, explained that the protest was to bring the attention of the government to the unabated killings in Atyap communities.
Kuyeh said that the Atyap communities were experiencing coordinated attacks and destruction of properties for a long time without the perpetrators brought to book.
He faulted the current herders/farmers’ clash narrative to the crises, stressing that people were being killed in their sleep.
“We feel abandoned by the government that has sworn an oath to protect the lives and properties of every citizen.
“We are concerned that despite the spate of attacks, none of the killers have been arrested. Meanwhile our youths have been arrested and tortured while trying to defend themselves.
“We are not only demanding for the perpetrators to be arrested to face the wrath of the law but urging the government to end the killings and destruction of properties in our communities,” he said.
The youth leader also called on the government to support the survivors with relief materials to cushion the economic hardship caused by the attacks.
The Chairman of the Local Government Council, Mr Francis Sani, said that the attacks had created a huge population of widows and orphans.
Sani consoled the people and assured them of the local government’s efforts to restore peace in the LGA.
He promised to mobilise support from critical stakeholders to end the lingering attacks and prosecute the perpetrators.
One of the protesters, a 13-year-old Vanessa Aminu said she trekked 12 kilometres from Samaru to protest the protracted killing of her people.
“The killers have killed my grandparents and some of my relatives and neighbours. We want the government to stop the killings and ensure peace so we could live free in our land,” she said.
Another protester, a 29-year-old Baba Augustine, equally called on the government to be honest in tackling the security challenge.
“We are tired of the killings, and we want the government to do something about it. Enough is enough,” he said.
