El-Rufai lied over killing of 66 Kaduna residents — CAN, NEMA

The Kaduna State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria
on Saturday dismissed claims by Governor Nasir el-Rufai that 66
persons were killed by gunmen in the Kajuru Local Government Area
of the state.

The CAN Chairman in the state, Rev. Joseph Hayab, who stated
this in a statement, insisted that the governor deliberately gave
out the wrong information to deceive Nigerians and the
international community.

He said the false alarm as contained in a statement by the
governor on Friday evening, was aimed at stirring up violence in
the state.

The statement read, “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.’’

The senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district
whose constituency covered the affected local government, Shehu
Sani, also wondered why the incident that happened on Sunday would
be made an issue on the eve of the general elections.

“He 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 added that the people were ready to vote and refused to be
provoked despite desperate attempts by some people to instigate
them.

Also, the Zonal Coordinator, North-West office of the National
Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ishaya Chonoko, told SUNDAY PUNCH
in a telephone interview on Saturday that there were no fresh
killings in Kajuru LGA on Friday as claimed by the governor.

He attributed the wrong information to the activities of those
he described as “unpatriotic Nigerians” who were out to take
advantage of the general elections to instigate violence in the
state.

Chonoko said, “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 resident of the area, Josiah Joshua, also told one of our
correspondents that the governor was economical with the truth by
claiming that only the Fulani were killed in the attacks.

He said, “The incident happened in the Kajuru LGA and 90 per
cent of the residents are Adara tribe and not Fulani. The
governor’s claims that Fulani were killed were not true.”

A community leader in the area, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on
condition of anonymity because of the tension the governor’s
statement had caused, said the casualty figure released by el-Rufai
was a far cry from the situation on the ground.

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?’’

The state Police Spokesman, DSP Yakubu Sabo, refused to comment
on the incident when contacted by SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday.

He said, “I cannot speak on the issue for now because the
Commissioner of Police in charge of the state command will address
the press at the appropriate time”

Our correspondents observed that security was beefed up in
Fulani dominated communities across the state to prevent any
reprisals. Men of the Nigeria Police Force and the military were
sighted in many areas, ensuring that there was no breakdown of law
and order.