The Southern Kaduna People’s Union, SOKAPU, yesterday, alleged that within six years, 148 communities were attacked in Southern Kaduna, while 200,000 natives were displaced. SOKAPU, at a press conference in Kaduna, said killings by terrorists in the region could only be described as outright ethnic cleansing of the people resident in the area.
Speaking on the impact of banditry and terrorism in the area in the last six years, the SOKAPU President, Jonathan Asake said: “We are calling on civil society organizations, CSOs; non-governmental organizations, NGOs; foreign missions, the European Union, the United Nations, among others, to beam their searchlight on the atrocities, crimes against humanities, ethnic cleansing being perpetrated against the people of Southern Kaduna.
‘148 communities attacked in 6 yrs, 200,000 persons displaced in Southern Kaduna’
These horrendous attacks on Kaduna State, especially the southern flank, have become glaring, with both government and security agencies seemingly incapable of reining in the activities of these vicious bandits.
“From the ongoing, it is clear that the bandits/terrorists have taken over many villages and towns and are closing in on the Kaduna city center. SOKAPU believes that these bandits may soon take over the Kaduna metropolis, including the Kaduna State Government House if the government continues to show a lack of capacity or willingness to stop them. Mineral deposits and
green areas for cattle rearing in the entire Middle Belt are responsible for killings in Southern Kaduna. We have concluded plans to take over our ancestral land because what is going on is ethnic cleansing in Southern Kaduna and the entire Middle Belt.
Several communities have been attacked in Southern Kaduna at a genocidal proportion.”
”It is very clear that Kaduna State is under siege by a combination of killer Fulani herdsmen, kidnappers, bandits, and other criminal groups who have continued to terrorize peaceful, vulnerable, and defenseless Nigerians residents in the state.”
“There is no single day that passes without an ugly incident of attacks and massacre in rural communities or mass abductions of people in both rural communities and suburbs of urban areas. These ceaseless attacks have continued to leave in their trail tales massacre, maiming, destruction of property and crops, raping of women, and mass displacement of persons from their homelands.”
“The spates of insecurity shredding Kaduna State recently hit the peak when on March 28, 2022, an Abuja-Kaduna bound train was bombed, less than 48 hours after the Kaduna Airport was attacked and an official of the airport killed.”
“During the attack on the train, no less than eight passengers were murdered. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is yet to account for the whereabouts of 165 passengers that were on the ill-fated trip. While mourning the attacks on the train and the airport, another group of bandits launched yet another deadly assault on a military base located in Pole Wire Village in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, killing 12 soldiers and injuring 19 military personnel.”
“Just this week on Monday, April 25, 2022, heavily armed killer Fulani herdsmen in their large numbers riding on motorbikes invaded some communities in Kamaru ward, Chawai Chiefdom of Kauru Local Government Area where no fewer than 25 persons were murdered in cold blood.”
“By 4:30 pm of that fateful Monday, the attackers commenced their assault on the Ungwar Rimi community and continued to kill, maim and destroy the property of the community without help from the security forces. The attack on Ungwar Rimi lasted for over three hours.”
“By the time the attack was over, 12 persons were murdered, and no fewer than 52 houses were burnt after the village was looted of foodstuffs and animals, among others.”
“After three hours of the attack on Ungwar Rimi, the invaders proceeded to Ungwar Magaji; a community that has been attacked at least four times since 2014, where the rampaging herdsmen commenced yet another round of violence.”
“When the killer herdsmen attacked Ungwan Makera, one Audu Tulu, a resident of the village was severely injured, while no fewer than eight houses were burnt, foodstuffs and valuables were looted by the attackers. Most pathetic is the killing of a 102-year-old man, Pa Garba Akur, in Kotaku. He was shot as he tried to run, the heartless herdsmen hacked him down with their machetes and left his mutilated body in the pool of his blood.”
“Also, 32 houses were reduced to rubble and many displaced.
These recent attacks in Kauru LGA are just one of the series of attacks that have been waged against Southern Kaduna communities since January this year.”
“In January 2022, Kurmin Masara and surrounding communities were attacked where no less than 16 people were murdered and 38 houses razed down by these killer Fulani herdsmen. On February 2, 2022, Zamandabo was attacked, resulting in the death of one person and 15 houses destroyed.”
“In Kajuru LGA communities, between January 4, 2022, and April 12, 2022; no less than 38 persons were killed across 40 communities, and about 200 abducted for ransom.”