No fewer than 38 persons, including women and children, were killed on Monday night in separate attacks on Fadan Karshi and Nandu villages in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Already, Governor Ramalan Yero has condemned the attack at Fadan Karshi village, describing the act as a “provocative attempt by some unpatriotic people to cause confusion and unrest.”
Confirming the tragedy to Vanguard on telephone, yesterday, Chairman of Sanga Local Government Area, Mr. Emmanuel Adamu, said: “They came around 10 p.m. last night (Monday night) and started killing people in Fadan Karshi village. They killed 17 people there.
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“We first thought they were unknown gunmen, but we later discovered that they were Fulani. The youths were able to capture two of them. One of them is dead. The one who is still alive has been taken to the hospital in Jos.
“Around 2a.m., they re-grouped and attacked Nandu village, close to Gwantu Local Government headquarters. I am well informed that 21 people were killed there.
“Many were injured. I cannot tell you how many now, but I have directed that they should be treated in good hospitals in Jos. The Army and Police have come in now. I am appealing for calm.”
Adamu informed that security agencies were on the trail of the attackers, while measures have been adopted to forestall recurrence.
State govt blamed
However, the National President of Ninzon Progressive Youths, NPY, Mr. Bezard Wuya blamed the state government for the killings.
He said: “The Fulani wrote a letter to our Chief in Gwantu early this month, warning that they will come and kill our people even when we never offended them.
“We took the threat seriously and took copies of the letter to the government. But no efforts were made to protect vulnerable places. This is the third, but most barbaric, of the attacks on us.”
Gov. Yero reacts
Meanwhile, Governor Yero, who reacted to the attack in a statement by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Mallam Ahmed Maiyaki, condoled with families of victims for the unwarranted attack on innocent citizens in the area.
Yero said: “We call on people in Fadan Karshi and other parts of the state to remain calm as security forces have already been deployed to the area to maintain law and order.
“We should remain united and resolute in resisting obvious attempts by agents of darkness to create confusion and sow seeds of discord in our state.
“Security agencies have already been directed to commence investigation into the matter and are on the tracks of the criminals. No stone shall be left unturned in our resolve to bring perpetrators of this attack and all other criminal assaults on our people in the past to justice.”
He asked the people to continue to live in peace with one another, and to be more vigilant in observing happenings in their areas with a view to assisting security agencies with relevant information on suspicious persons and movements within and around their communities.
