By John Ikani
Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) has called on the United Nations (UN) and other international bodies to look into the alleged ethnic cleansing against the indigenes of Atyap in Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State.
The socio-cultural body which made the call following Tuesday’s killings and arson by suspected Fulani herders in Zangon Kataf, urged the UN and other international bodies to rescue the indigenes from the hands of an oppressive government.
“For the sixth day running, gunmen, identified as Fulani herdsmen by victims, laid siege to several communities in Atyap land, Zangon Kataf Local Council of Southern Kaduna and left no fewer than 33 people dead,” said spokesman for the group, Luka Binniyat.
According to him, the onslaught by the bandits was part of the plan to grab land and that 108 Southern Kaduna communities had been displaced and their land taken over since 2019.
“In the latest orgy of bloodshed, the invaders stormed Magamiya village, last night, around 11p.m. and started shooting. The family compound of the traditional ruler of Atyap Chiefdom, Agwatyap of Atyap, Dominic Yahaya, was attacked. Several blocks of flats and rooms that make up the family compound of five households were looted of valuables and foodstuffs.
“The houses were then set ablaze. The assailants killed a septuagenarian relation of the traditional ruler, Mr. Toma Tauna. Also, Matthew Pama, 62, was killed in the same village.”
The spokesperson further revealed that after about two hours of unchallenged murder, looting and arson, the armed men attempted to burn down St. Pius Catholic Church in the village, but help came from other villagers and the attackers retreated in Hilux vans.
Lamenting the increasing death toll arising from the attacks, Binniyat said: “Father and son were killed in Magata where the assailants also burnt eight homes and the Catholic Church in the village. The attackers then moved to the next village, Magori, but met a ghost town. They took their time, looted the village and loaded their bounty into the five Hilux vans they were driving in and burnt down all the 19 houses in the small village. The attackers then returned to Makarau that was attacked on Monday and burnt down the ECWA and Anglican Churches whose two pastoruims were burnt in last Monday’s afternoon attacks.”
What you should know
SOKAPU has been at forefront of raising concerns about the welfare of the indigenous people in Southern Kaduna who consistently face attacks from bandits/herdsmen.
According to the union’s president, Hon. Jonathan Asake, the attacks “are aimed at a forced demography change under the guise of insecurity.”
The president who laments that governments at both state and federal levels have not provided any platform for dialogue with a view to resolving the insecurity in Kaduna communities, advocates the creation of a separate and independent Southern Kaduna State as a viable and economically sustainable option to ending the attacks.
