Buhari pays condolence visit to Kaduna after violence claims 80 lives

President Muhammadu Buhari has paid a condolence visit to Kaduna State in the wake of a series of violence that has claimed more than 80 lives in the state over the past week.

The president was received at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) base in the state capital by Governor Nasir El-Rufai and members of the state's cabinet when he arrived with the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Tuesday, October 30, 2018.

The president's visit comes on the heels of the October 26 killing of abducted monarch, Agom Adara, Maiwada Galadima. Four people, including a police officer, were killed when the monarch, his wife and driver were abducted at Maikyali village, along Kaduna-Kachia road, in Kachia local government area of the state on October 19.

His abduction happened in the wake of another crisis that claimed the lives of 55 people during a communal clash at Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru LGA.

The wave of violence is believed to have started after two people were killed in a market clash between Hausa Muslim and Adara Christian youths following a dispute among wheelbarrow porters.

A second attack was reported to have been carried out by Adara youths who reportedly mobilised and attacked Hausa residents on Thursday, October 18.

"Most of the killings were done in the second attack which took the Hausa community off guard,"Muhammadu Bala, a Kasuwar Magani resident who lost his home to the crisis, told AFP.

With curfew declared across the affected areas, the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) disclosed that a further 23 people were killed in various parts of Kaduna metropolis during another wave of violence that took place on Sunday, October 21.

President Buhari condemned the violence, urging everyone to embrace peace as an alternative to destruction.

"Violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity," he said.

During his Tuesday visit, he's expected to meet with relevant stakeholders including religious, traditional and political leaders from the affected areas.

Leaders to meet the president include Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris; Archbishop of Kaduna Catholic Archdiocese, Most Reverend, Mathew Man-oso Ndagoso; and Secretary General of the Jama'atul Nasril Islam (JNI), Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu.

Others are Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop George Jonathan Dodo, and founder of the Peace Revival and Reconciliation Foundation of Nigeria, Pastor Yohanna Y.D. Buru.

Dozens of suspects have been arrested in connection with the waves of violence in the affected areas.