By Longtong Ibrahim
The Kaduna state Police command has confirmed the killings of 32 persons mostly women and children in the recent clashes between villagers and herdsmen in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state in northwestern Nigeria. They also said peace has been restored in the area.
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Agyole Abeh pointed out that the incident started on July 11, when some villagers attacked a boy and his father.
He said the death of the boy later in a hospital, prompted some Fulani youth to attack the village where those who allegedly killed the boy hailed from and in the process six villagers died.
The development however metamorphosed into fresh round of confrontation between group of native youth farmers and herders and as at 17th July, 2017, 32 people were reportedly dead and two others sustained varying degrees of injury.
According to the Commissioner, “the problem started when some youths claimed that they saw a Fulani with a bag which they alleged to contain military camouflage but he ran away.
“On their way coming, they saw a young grazing herder and they attacked him. But while that was ongoing, his father came in to rescue his son and was subsequently assaulted but later died in a hospital where he was rushed to.
“We must not assume or conclude that because in recent past, in some communities of the state where attacks had taken place by suspected Fulani herdsmen and therefore for every violent attack, the aggressors must be Fulani herdsmen. I do believe that in this particular incident, that assertion is not true.
“Police was informed and we immediately swung into action but before we could reach the place, 26 Fulanis who were mostly women and children have been killed and their huts razed. This took place at remote settlements.
“This form of unprovoked attack is not only barbaric; it must be condemned especially when the state is experiencing some level of peace. Police will continue to render all legitimate service to ensure peace in the state. We will not rest until those behind the dastard act are brought to justice and we will do all we can to prevent escalation of this”, he noted.
The Police boss further berated a section of the media for erroneous report of the incident, and advised reporters to always authenticate their facts before going public, so as not to escalate the situation.
Also, the command paraded 56 suspected criminals who were arrested while carrying out their nefarious activities along Kaduna-Abuja, Kaduna-Zaria and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highways.
The suspects who are mostly between the ages of 15 and 23 were involved in crimes such as armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, rape, Sara-Suka, kidnapping, cattle rustling, counterfeit US dollars printing among others, the commissioner said.
