Why curfew, more troops may not deter the assailants – Residents

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

Embattled residents of Southern Kaduna and other stakeholders have called for a review of imposition of curfew and deployment of security agents as strategies for stopping the incessant killings in the area.

The call is coming on the heels of the latest fresh attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen between Sunday and Monday, in which no fewer than 21 persons were massacred.

This was even as a survivor and an eyewitness, Mr. Enock Barau, a resident of Barkin Kogi, one of the villages attacked, gave a vivid account of how the military men posted to maintain peace and order in the beleaguered villages were taken by surprise by the armed invaders in the recent mayhem.

In view of the colossal loss of lives and property in the fresh attacks, the stakeholders have expressed doubt in the efficacy of the old strategy, noting that rather than work, it was fuelling the bloodbath.

Barau told Saturday Sun: “We have soldiers and policemen stationed in the community.

Unfortunately, the soldiers were just coming from the river after having their bath. So, they were taken unawares by the bandits.”

He added that as the gunmen shot sporadically, they were burning houses. In all, more than 100 houses were reportedly set ablaze.

The attack reportedly started around 5pm and lasted till 9pm on the fateful day.

Curfew has again been imposed and more security operatives deployed to the troubled areas, just as was done in Jema’a, Kaura and Zango Kataf councils last December, following protest by natives. But the affected people argued that forcing people to stay indoor, with markets and schools shut 24 hours everyday only make them vulnerable to danger, as previous experiences had shown.

For instance, they noted that the attackers struck on Christmas eve, last year, killing about 20 persons as well as setting houses ablaze in Goska village near Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government area.

They noted that it was also during a 24-hour curfew that some youths were killed in January at Samaru Kataf, not far from a major police checkpoint.

The stakeholders noted that it was also often difficult for many to feed their households while the curfew lasted.

They argued that so long as the previous curfew did not arrest the situation, it could hardly be effective in this instance.

Bishop of Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, expressed worry over the renewed killings in Southern Kaduna. He urged

Nigerian leaders to be just in order to holistically solve the problem.

Specifically, he advised that: “The security personnel should do their work. If they have been deployed to secure the place, they should go and comb the bushes and not just stay on the main roads while the onslaught continues in unprotected areas.

“So, it makes no sense not to empower those that have been deployed to combat the killings. Maybe they are not even well fed and the perpetrators are using that to compromise them.

“We have heard it where money will be allocated for them to buy food and water, but somebody somewhere will pocket the money. So if that happens, what does one expect from them than to take gift from locals and even from those they have been sent to chase out? Ndagoso decried the situation: “a lot of people who are predominantly farmers cannot even go to the farm to harvest their crops, despite the so much publicised deployment of security personnel and huge financial resources that may have been channeled towards the cause.

Reacting in the same vein, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, (SOKAPU)  faulted the imposition of  curfew on the two LGAs, saying it had done more harm than good in the past. President of the union, Dr. Musa Kaptain Solomon, said: “ We are all in support of any lawful measure that would bring succour, peace and security to our people. We are not against any curfew if it would make us more secure. But our experience in the past few weeks has shown that anytime a curfew was imposed, it keeps our people at home for the marauders to easily attack them. It was under a curfew and the heavy presence of police that Goska, a short distance from Kafanchan was attacked last December. It was also under a 24-hour curfew that some youths were killed in Samaru Kataf not far from a major police checkpoint in January.

“The curfew in Zangon Kataf lasted two weeks. People stayed indoors, markets and schools were shut. The victims of the violence were further punished, while the killers roamed freely. It became very difficult for many to feed their households. If this latest curfew will lead to apprehending the murderers, fine, but if it is just to add to our suffering by  being forced to stay at home, then we beg to differ.”

Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai, had held series of peace meetings with stakeholders, to end the carnage in the area.

Despite the peace moves, the foundation of a proposed military barrack in Kafanchan, was vandalised last week.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said the location was chosen for effective response to security challenge in the area.

Regardless of the temporary setback, the state government vowed to go ahead with the establishment of the barrack.

President Takad Community Development Association, Mr. Enoch Andong, in a  telephone interview expressed shock that, in spite of the presence of security men , the attackers  were able to launch the offensive.

Andong  said: “ They came around 6:00am  on Monday and they killed 15 people in Ashim and Zilan alone.

Barau said the invaders wore black attires which covered them from top to toe and started shooting on arrival at the community. Barau, a former leader of the Kaninkon Development Association, said the attack lasted about four hours as his community, with the support of soldiers tried to repel the herdsmen.

He narrated:  “On Sunday, around 5pm, we heard gun shots in our surrounding. When I heard the gun shots three times, I came out of my house. The gunshots continued rapidly, before I realise what was happening, they had surrounded part of the community.  Many of the people were coming down from the hillside, shooting and running. They were dressed in complete black attire.

“As they were shooting, we managed to evacuate women to a safe zone, while the men stayed for defence. The shooting lasted till 9pm. As they were shooting, they were burning our houses. Over 100 houses were set ablaze. Seven people were killed and one person is still missing. We have soldiers and policemen stationed in the community. Unfortunately, the soldiers were just coming from the river where they went to have their bath. So, they were taken unawares. The herdsmen took control of their camp and the soldiers had to run back to strategise to take over their camp. “We are very impressed with the soldiers because they did their best.

“But the mobile policemen whose Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed directly opposite my house didn’t do much.

They were just driving up and down without firing a single shot at the gunmen. The police only started responding to the attack when a senior officer arrived. By the time reinforcement arrived, the attackers had left.”

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has announced that the Garrison Commander of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and the state Commissioner of Police had relocated to the southern part of the state.

It’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement: “This is to enable Brigadier-General Ismaila Isa and CP Agyole Abeh to coordinate a determined response to armed bandits.

The  statement said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai condoled with the families of the victims of the fracas, while assuring them that the government was fully committed to securing the area.

 

 

Southern Kaduna: Isolated killings continue –Police

We can’t still go to farm –Residents

From Sola Ojo, Kafanchan and Lawrence Enyoghasu

IN spite of efforts by Kaduna State government, security operatives and other interest groups and organizations to restore peace in the troubled southern part of the state, peace seems to have taken flight as warring parties are not ready for sincere dialogue, police authority said yesterday.

The Police Commissioner, Agyole Abeh while leading newsmen on a tour of the recently attacked communities around Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state on Friday said, though normalcy has returned to the area but there are still pockets of isolated killings in form of reprisal attacks.

The police boss, who decried non readiness of the two opposing parties for dialogue due to fear of  the unknown despite the overwhelming presence of security men noted that, the best way to resolve whatever grievances both parties may have remains dialogue.

According to him, the 24-hour curfew imposed on two LGAs few days ago was relaxed on Thursday evening but security operatives were forced to reinstate it this Friday morning based on intelligence report they got over night that some mischief makers may cause trouble before the day break.

“We assessed that, the peace process meeting may not hold based on what we heard over night about Bankin Kogi, Asim and two other places. We have been having continuous attacks here because each time a group attacks another group, there would be reprisal.

“So, most of the attacks are not heard or reported until there is reprisal. We learnt that armed herders were attacked and there was reprisal.

“In one of the latest attacks, a distress call was made and we responded by confronting the attackers and in the process we lost one of our men. With enough force now on ground, the situation will be brought to a halt in conjunction with locals because we all begin to understand that there is no need for killings and reprisal.

“Special forces that were deployed by IGP are sleeping on mountains and giving on ground support to aerial surveillance, all to put the situation under control. But sincere dialogue remains the only alternative to restore lasting peace among the members of these communities”, the CP explained.

Also speaking, Brigadier-General Isa Ismail, 1 Division Garrison commander who recently relocated to join the forces on ground said, his observation has so far revealed that both parties are guilty of bloody attacks against each other, saying, they need to come together and work with security agencies to bring an end to the killings.

District Head, Dangoma, Mamuda Suleiman said, there has not been any attack on his community after the December incident, adding that “even when there was attack then, they did not go on reprisal and that is partly responsible for the relative peace we are having here”.

A resident of Amere North, Goska District, Timothy Gimba said, though there is relative peace since arrival of security personnel, he expressed worry that, they have not been able to go to farm either to harvest or prepare for the next planting season.

As at the time this Correspondent visited Kafanchan, the headquarters of Jema’a LGA, the major roads were deserted, leading to forceful shutdown of businesses; banks, schools, telecommunications, filling stations among others. There were also illegal roadblocks in Kafanchan suspected to have been mounted by angry youths from the area.

However, in places like Taka Sabon Gari, Ambam Kanim, Goska, Dangoma and Bakin-Kogi, people were sighted sitting in front of their houses while Muslim faithful were seen observing their religious rights.