Four Killed, Three Injured in Clash in Kaduna Community

*Bandits still having field day despite telecom shutdown, says CAN chair

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Four people have been killed, while three others were injured in a clash between locals and herdsmen in Jankasa, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Hayab, has lamented that the security measures put in place to check the activities of bandits seemed to have little or no impact as the criminals continue to unleash terror on communities.

Aruwan said the Jankasa clash was reported to the state government by military and police authorities.

He said the report indicated that “the clash occurred along some cattle routes in the area, and then escalated into a firefight between the two groups, before security forces arrived to bring the situation under control”.

Aruwan said the four people confirmed killed were identified as: Luka Nelson, Timothy Koni, Pasi Peter and George Frances, while those who sustained injuries were identified as: Daniel Dauda, Extra James and Henry Frances.

The commissioner said those injured were receiving treatment in the hospital.

The commissioner said: “Further to this, security agencies reported that unknown gunmen attacked some settled herders at Manchok, Kaura LGA.

“The security agencies reported that this was an apparent reprisal to the initial clash.

“Thirteen cows have been confirmed killed so far, as troops recovered 25 cows alive from the area. No human casualties have been reported, as search operations continue.”

He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai has expressed sadness over the deadly clash and prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed, adding that: “The governor sent his deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”

He said the governor appealed to members of the community and citizens to uphold lawful actions over violent conduct at all times.

“The governor wished all those injured a quick recovery and tasked security agencies to ensure diligent investigations into the attacks,” the statement said, adding that security agencies were sustaining patrols in the general area.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State CAN Chairman, Hayab, has said that despite the security measures adopted to tackle bandits, the criminals were having a field day with their nefarious activities, while the people groan under serious economic hardship.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY after a special prayer and thanksgiving service organised by CAN on Sunday at the ECWA Goodnews, Narayi High Cost, Kaduna, Hayap said the measures adopted by the government to tackle banditry and kidnapping do not seem to be working as the bandits were still invading communities and abducting people.

He said two weeks ago, 46 people were abducted in some communities in Chikun LGA of the state.

Hayab said the ban on both private and commercial motorcycles popularly known as “Okada”, as well as the restriction on the operation of tricycles known as “KEKE NAPEP” has thrown many people into difficult economic hardship posing serious security threat.

Hayab said: “The reality is that the ban on Okada has increased poverty and may likely give birth to more criminals. The restriction placed on operations of Keke may increase more poverty and criminals.

“The bandits are still having a field day. Can we just sit down and find a way to deal with these bandits than all these trial and error we are doing.

“We are only inflicting pains on the citizens.”

According to the CAN chairman, “The people had given the government the benefit of the doubt to see how things work out, but it appears little or nothing has changed three week after telecom networks were shutd own and commercial motorcycles were banned.

“As I speak with you, bandits are having a field day. Two weeks ago, they abducted a total of 46 people in communities in Chikun Local Government Area in one day. As I speak with you, those people are not back.

“On Saturday, the people in one of the communities called to tell me that they were gathering money to pay the bandits.

“The next thing the bandits did was to invade the village, though they didn’t kidnap anybody, they stole all the money people were raising to pay ransom.

“These pains are still being inflicted on people. I think we should really sit down and find a humane way of addressing this.

“We have tried so many things and they are not working simply because we are not doing things that will work, we are doing things that will show our might.

“If what you want to do is to just show might, you won’t get results, if what you want to do is to find solution, you will get solution.”