John Shiklam in Kaduna
Seven people have been killed following reprisal attacks on some settlements in Kauru and Lere Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
This was revealed in a statement the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan issued yesterday.
The commissioner said the attack followed the killing of seven people in Gora Gan, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
Aruwan said the military under the auspices of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) and the police “have informed the Kaduna State Government of counter attacks on some herder settlements in Kauru and Lere local government areas.
“According to the operational feedback from the security agencies, the attacks were carried out by aggrieved youths following the killing of seven persons on Thursday night in Gora Gan, Zangon Kataf Local Government.”
The statement said security agencies reported that seven herders were killed in a counter killing in Ungwan Idi and Kasheku villages of Kauru Local Government while two herders were injured at Ningi village of Lere local government.
Aruwan gave the names of the seven herders killed at Ungwan Idi and Kasheku villages in Kauru local government as, Mustapha Haruna,1, Ya’u Kada,1, Sa’idu Abdullahi, I, Zainab Zakari, 1, Sadiya Abdullahi, 5, Aisha Abdullahi,1, and one unidentified woman burnt beyond recognition.
The statement added that five persons were still missing and troops were searching for them in the general area. Six huts were also burnt during the attack.
“Aisha Mohammed (20 years) and Sadiya Abdullahi (25 years) who were wounded in the Kauru LGA reprisal attack are receiving medical attention at Ungwan Idi Clinic.
“At Ningi village of Lere local government area, the two herders were injured and rushed to General Hospital, Saminaka” the statement said.
The statement said the state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who condemned the renewed counter killings, had sent condolences to the families that lost their loved ones and wished those recuperating speedy recovery.
“He described the renewed killing and counter killing of innocent citizens of Atyap and Fulani ethnicity as unfortunate. He decried the resort to violence, noting that it is not a solution to grievances and disputes, but a tragic way to escalate matters and drag people into more pain and misery.”
The statement added that the governor directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide relief materials to the affected families with immediate effect.
