Kaduna Killings: NEMA, CAN contradict Gov El-Rufai's claim

The Zonal Coordinator, North-West office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ishaya Chonoko has said that no fresh crisis occurred in Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state on Friday, February 15, 2019.

According to Punch, the Kaduna state government, in a statement signed by Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan confirmed that 66 people died in clashes in the LGA.

Speaking to the daily, the NEMA zonal coordinator said those responsible for the report want to take advantage of the upcoming election to incite violence.

According to him, “It is not true that 66 people were killed in Kaduna State. I am in Kaduna now and I can confirm to you that I am not aware of any 66 people that were killed in Kajuru Local Government Area by any unknown gunmen.

“There was an attack last week (Sunday) where 11 people were said to have been killed. It was the usual tribal clash between the Fulani and the indigenes. Anytime there is a clash between two tribes in Kaduna, there is usually reprisal.

“We made necessary contacts only to discover that it was merely a rumour to instigate violence. Please disregard it. It is not true at all.”

A community leader who also spoke to Punch on the incident, said the Governor’s report is far from what truly happened.

He said “What happened was that the Fulani launched an attack on the Adara people and the people revenged against the Fulani.

“Why is it that it was the governor that ‘broke’ the said news when we have the various security agencies in the state? How did he count the figure of the supposed dead people?’’

CAN reacts

The Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Assoication of Nigeria (CAN) in its reaction, accused El-Rufai of lying to deceive the international community and Nigerians.

The CAN chairman in the state, Rev. Joseph Hayab said “The press statement by the spokesman for Kaduna State Governor, Mr Samuel Aruwan, suggests that “the killings in Kajuru Local Government were carried yesterday (Friday) 15/2/2019. This is false in its entirety.

“We are aware that the incident happened in the late hours of Sunday 10 February to February 12, 2019, at about 1am at Gindin Gada in the Maro Ward of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State where unidentified hoodlums went into the village and killed about 11 people in their sleep.

“The incident led to reprisals. Two of the suspects were said to have been apprehended and handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the area. It was in the afternoon of the said date of the attack (as contained in the press statement) that the District Head of Kufana, Mr Titus Dauda, and four of his local chiefs were released after their invitation by the Department of State Services.

“We see this as an illogical intentional, premeditated attempt at stirring violence in the state for whatever expected gains. The incidence of raising false alarm by the Kaduna State Government should make Nigerians realise that some of our leaders are also guilty of hate speech and that makes them major actors in the game that has denied us peace and has claimed the lives of our love ones.’’

Shehu Sani speaks

The Senator representing the constituency which Kajuru belongs to, Shehu Sani also said “What the people of the area told me was that the issue happened since Sunday and the security agencies waded in and resolved it immediately. There was no tension that can threaten peace in the area.”

Sani wondered why the Governor decided to bring up the matter a day to the election, adding that the people will not be distracted.