NSCEA Bemoans Kaduna Crises Again

Suspected Fulani militias kill 15 in fresh Southern Kaduna

Death Toll From Kaduna Bandit Attack Rises To 26

“Govt to swallow her pride and accept that she has failed the people”- CAN

Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA) bemoans Kaduna crises says, “All we keep hearing all the time is, “Government condemns the violence and all acts of lawlessness that have occurred in the area.” Nothing more!

Therefore “Govt should swallow her pride and accept that she has failed the people”- says CAN, again, as Daily Post Nigeria News report published on March 21, 2022 by Amos Tauna says,  “Suspected Fulani militias in a fresh attack on Sunday night at Agban Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State killed about 15 people.”

According to Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the Secretary to the Elder’s Council, NSCEA the Council and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter and National are all sorrowful and grieving for the continued killings, kidnappings, banditry, persecution and the unimaginable evil going on in Kaduna state unabated by the government.

A source told DAILY POST that he could not ascertain the number of those injured and houses razed down by the attackers. According to the source, “I was able to count and get about 15 people killed. There is the likelihood that there are those killed in their houses while others could have died in the buses as a result of gunshot wounds they sustained.

“The destruction made by the attackers last night (Sunday) is so terrifying as the suspected Fulani militias came in their large numbers and well organised. They came with sophisticated weapons and carried out their acts of destroying both lives, houses and property of the natives.”

When contacted to confirm the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said he was going to find out from the Police Area Commandant, Kafanchan.

He however had not reverted at the time of filing this report.

” I can not ascertain the number of those injured and houses razed down by the attackers.”

“I was able to count and get about 15 people killed. There is the likelihood that there are those killed in their houses while others could have died in the buses as a result of gun wounds they sustained.”

“I could not get the number of those injured and the houses burnt by the attackers, the destruction made was so terrifying.”

“The destruction made by the attackers last night (Sunday) was so terrifying as the suspected Fulani militias came in their large numbers and well organised. They came with sophisticated weapons and carried out their acts of destroying both lives, houses and property of the natives.”

The State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said he was going to find out from the Police Area Commandant, Kafanchan.

Further, “A screenshot taken according to Channel TV, on March 21, 2022, shows residents of the community sacked by bandits in Kaduna State.

The death toll from Sunday’s attack by terrorists at Agban Kagoro Chiefdom in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State has risen to 26.

This was confirmed to Channels Television by the Chairman of Kaura Local Government, Matthias Siman.
Mr Siman also said that two soldiers were killed while one other sustained injury.

He further disclosed that seven other sustained various degree of injuries and are currently receiving treatment in some hospitals within Kaduna state and Jos in Plateau State.

The State Government earlier on Monday had imposed a 24-hour curfew in two local government areas, including Kaura.

“Following advice from security agencies, the Kaduna State government has declared a 24-hour curfew in Jema’a and Kaura local government areas with immediate effect,” Mr Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement.

“This is to assist the security agencies to stabilise the situation in the areas, save lives and property, and enable the restoration of law and order.”

The commissioner condemned the violence and all acts of lawlessness that have occurred in the area, saying the government has given the security agencies full authorisation to enforce the curfew.

He called on residents in the affected local government areas to cooperate with the security agencies in a bid to restore peace and uphold law and order in the areas.

Aruwan also assured them that the government was monitoring the situation closely, stressing the need to avoid actions that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

However, Rev John Joseph Hayab Chairman, of the in Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State has urged those affected to devise means of protecting themselves against the militias.

He said in a statement thus: “When Will the Killings of Innocent People in Kaduna Stop?”

“The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter is sad and grieving following the continued killings, kidnappings, banditry, and the unimaginable evil going on in our state unabated without any substantial action by the Government and security forces.”

“One only needs to see how human beings are killed and roasted by bandits who attacked Kagoro to conclude that this is one loss too many. How long will this evil continue and when will our leaders act dutifully? Kaduna State citizens are tired of Government’s rhetorical responses without concrete action taken to protect lives and property. Accordingly, we want to hear and see the killers and kidnappers arrested as the government’s usual media condemnation whenever there is havoc is not good enough.”

“Meanwhile, we appeal to citizens to also wake up and do the needful, protecting their lives and community. When a government fails to protect you, you ought to find a means of defending yourself. For the records, Kaduna state has lost several lives in the past four years while the leaders scarcely show empathy or concern for the victims seeing that the government’s response is usually in the media. Sadly, the dead cannot read nor listen to the news.”

“Then of what use is media condemnation?

CAN, therefore, calls on the Kaduna State Government to swallow her pride and accept that she has failed the people, genuinely seeking help to immediately halt the wanton killings, kidnappings, and terrorist activities going on in the state.

Governor El-rufai and his team should focus on the fight to salvage the state so that he will be remembered for good when he leaves office.”

In line with CAN Kaduna’s assessment, “At least 486 people were killed in the first three weeks of 2022 by non-state actors across Nigeria, an average of 22 people a day, a PREMIUM TIMES compilation of media reports by Nasir Ayitogo shows.

Over 80 per cent of the killings were carried out by terror groups that have terrorised the North-west and North-central zones while about 50 per cent of the total killings occurred in Niger State, North-central Nigeria.

Last week, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, announced that at least 220 people were killed in his state between January 1 and 17. Most of the killings in the state were unreported until the governor’s statement, an indication that the media miss some of the gruesome acts of terror groups in the country.

Apart from Niger State, other states that witnessed large scale killings in the first three weeks of 2022 were Zamfara, Plateau and Kebbi. The victims were mostly unarmed civilians.

PREMIUM TIMES compiled the incidents from media reports. Thus, unreported cases are not included.

Week one (January 1 to 8), 216 killed
In the first week of the year when President Muhammadu Buhari claimed that the country is more secure, at least 216 people were killed by armed persons. The victims include the 200 killed in Zamfara, the seven killed in Kaduna, three in Plateau, three in Akwa-Ibom and three in Ondo.

Week two (January 9 to 15); Minimum 37 killed
In the second week, at least 37 people were killed by non-state actors. The figures include 18 in Plateau, one in Abuja, one in Imo. and 17 in Kebbi.

Week three (January 16 to 22); Minimum 13 killed
In the third week, January 16 to 22, at least 13 people were killed. The figures include three persons in Kaduna, four in Ebonyi, one in Akwa-Ibom and five in Niger State.

220 in Niger
In Niger State alone, at least 220 people were killed in attacks on about 300 communities this year, the state governor revealed while addressing journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.

He said between January 1 and 17, the state suffered not less than 50 attacks by terror groups.Then, within the same period, not less than 300 communities were invaded by armed persons.

WE at NSCEA as many Nigerians believe much is not being done to curb the crises and more would need to be done to improve the security situation by the  APC- Buhari led administration and the state government.

Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies,
Secretary General,
Elder’s Council,
Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA).