Crime

Calm after 33 villagers died in Kaduna violence

Published

9 years ago

July 20, 2017

Calm has been restored to villages in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna after 33 people died in clashes between villagers and Fulani.

A total of 27 people living in the area were killed in two separate attacks, while six other villagers died, the police said on Wednesday in Kaduna.

According to Agyole Abeh, the state commissioner of police, the incident started on July 11, when some villagers attacked a boy and his father.

He said the death of the boy later in a hospital prompted some Fulani youth to attack the village where those who allegedly killed the boy hailed from and in the process six villagers died.

“The youths from the area immediately mobilised and went into the bush attacking and killing, maiming and burning any Fulani settlement within their sight.

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“The police were contacted and immediately dispatched to the scene, but the youths had already fled into the surrounding bushes leaving behind a death toll of 26 Fulanis, which are mostly women and children.

“The injured were also recovered and taken to hospital where they are receiving treatment.

“Calm has been restored to the area and a joint police/military presence has been beefed up in the area to bring about lasting peace and restore confidence in the people of the community.”

The commissioner assured that the police would arrest and prosecute “those responsible for this dastardly and callous act.”

Abeh blamed some media houses for erroneous reports of the incident, and advised reporters to always authenticate their facts before going public, so as not to misinform and further escalate such clashes.