John Shiklam in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government yesterday disclosed that it would constitute a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the violent conflict and killings in Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
The state governor, Mallam Nasir el- Rufai disclosed during a visit to Karamai village where 40 persons, including a police man, were killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on reprisal attack.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, el-Rufai sympathised with survivors of the attack which took place last week in Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas.
He said building sustainable peace in the area required that all the facts around the violent conflict be established.
el-Rufai was accompanied on the visit by the heads of the security agencies in Kaduna State, including Rear Admiral D.M. Dogonyaro of the Nigerian Navy, General O.J. Akpor, the Garrison Commander, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Air Commodore I.A. Sani of the Nigerian Air Force and Ahmad Abdurrahman, the state police commissioner.
Also on the delegation were Priscilla Ankut and Saleh Momale of the Kaduna State Peace Commission. The delegation inspected the destruction left behind by the attackers in Karamai and prayed at the mass grave where 15 of the 40 residents killed, were buried.
The governor commiserated with the people on the loss of lives and sympathised with the pain of the survivors. He appealed to people to resist any temptation to vengeance even in grief, noting that the cycle of attack and reprisal can only bring pain.
He called on all communities to avoid any resort to self-help and report their complaints, suspicions and observations to the law enforcement and security agencies.
He condemned the attackers, describing them as godless people who are wantonly violating the injunctions of the Holy Books of Christianity and Islam.
El-Rufai said the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had already visited the survivors and is handling the provision of relief for the traumatised survivors.
He assured the people that the state government will address the issue of access road into the area in conjunction with Kajuru Local Government Area and find ways to address the absence of communication network in the area.
El-Rufai had earlier been criticised for visiting Fulani communities where he said 130 Fulani were killed, but allegedly did not visit Angwan Barde community where 11 people were first killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The attack was to have sparked up the circle of reprisals between the native Adara people and the Fulani in the area.
