Again, state government imposes 24-hour curfew in Zangon-Kataf LGA
Mob attacks traditional ruler
John Shiklam in Kaduna
In spite of the massive security presence in the southern part of Kaduna State, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded a market in Samaru Kataf, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state, killing three poeple.
The gunmen were said to have arrived at the market at about 6p.m. on Tuesday when people were just leaving for their homes and opened fire.
An eyewitness told THISDAY in a telephone interview that three people were killed on the spot while four others who sustained injuries from gunshots were rushed to the hospital.
According to the eyewitness who pleaded anonymity, the herdsmen had, a couple of weeks ago, wrote to the community, saying they were coming for the attack.
“We told the police about the letter, but it looks like they did not take it seriously.
“They came to the market around 6:00 p.m. when people were already going back home and opened fire.
“Two people were killed instantly and four others were injured. There was confusion as everybody was running in different direction for his dear life.
“There was no security personal around, so they escaped. We are seriously beginning to lose confidence in the security agencies stopping these attacks,” he said.
The leadership of the Catholic and Anglican churches in Kafanchan on Tuesday expressed concerned over “pockets of killings” going on in some villages.
The church leaders had also called on the the security agencies to flush out the herdsmen from their hide outs in the bushes.
Efforts to get the reaction of the state police command on the attack proved abortive as the spokesman of the command could not be reached on telephone at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the state government has re-imposed a 24-hour curfew in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area following the incident.
A statement by the Special Assistant to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, said the state government had no option than to restored the 24-hour curfew earlier lifted following fresh security threats.
“The restoration of the curfew follows renewed security threats in Samaru-Kataf where the market was attacked by hoodlums. Security forces have taken steps to restore calm and vigorously enforce the curfew.
“Government urges that all citizens should cooperate with the security forces as they restore peace and order,” Aruwan said in a statement.
Also, the Emir of Jama’a in the state, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Muhammad, narrowly escaped being lynched yesterday by angry youths in Samaru Kataf, Zangon Kataf Local Government of the state. The youths were said to have been angry over fresh attacks in the area on Tuesday which led to the death of three people.
The emir was said to have run into a road block mounted by the youths while on his way from Kaduna to Kafanchan, Jama’a Local Government Area headquarters.
Sources said the emir narrowly escaped being lynched, but vehicles in his convoy were said to have been destroyed as the mob pelted them with stones.
According to the source, “The mob would have pounced on the emir, but the police escort in the convoy fired some shots to scare them.
“Because the road was blocked, the convoy turned back and took a different route. Most of the cars in the emir’s convoy were damaged.”
