By TOM GARBA, Yola
The revelation has been made how the military drafted to Southern Kaduna watched with delight at the weekend as terrorists engaged the Police in Tsonje, a village near Kagoro, in gun battle that lasted over 24 hours, declining to move into the scene of the incident for intervention.
The terrorists struck despite the 24 hours curfew imposed on Kaura Local Government Area, forcing the Police and some youths in Tsonje community to engage the attackers in a 24 hour gun battle between Friday to Saturday which led to the killing of two Civilians.
The Senator representing Kaduna South in the National Assembly, Danjuma La’ah, described the incident as unfortunate, though, commended the Federal Government for deploying troops to Southern Kaduna.
“I am making this public to alert the world of a possible re-grouping of Boko Haram Terrorists with Fulani herdsmen terrorists in Southern Kaduna. They are now conquering large swaths of lands, and have now established a base behind Passakori. This was how Boko Haram started in 2009,” Laah said in a statement.
“Today as we observed the National Morning Day ordered by the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) over the unabated killings of law abiding citizens of Nigeria in Southern Kaduna, and the forceful taking of their lands, I wish to sadly inform again, that two persons were killed yesterday by the same marauding Fulani herdsmen terrorists,” the senator remarked.
“The death of these two men, identified as Ephraim Ezekiel, 19, and Joshua Ladi, 41, occurred after an almost 24-hour gun battle between the terrorists, on the one hand, and the Nigeria Police and local vigilante, as the Fulani terrorists tried to overrun a village called Tsonjek,” he lamented.
“… Ninte, Akwa, Golgofa, Gada Biyu, Anjul have already been dominated and inhabited by these terrorists after many of the villagers were killed; the villages plundered before being set ablaze since May last year. As of Today, the terrorist have moved in to these communities – The unharvested crops of the villagers that have fled, have become food for their cattle.” Danjuma La’ah decried.
“Also, Passakori, Mile 1 and Unguwan Missisi, all on the ever busy Kagoro-Gidan Waya road in Jema’a LGA, has been annexed and are now abodes of the terrorists,” he said.
“The world has remained silent or has forgotten the killings of persons and the subsequent displacement of communities like Kirim, Zakum, Mayit, Agwom, Zakai Gira, Telak Tunga and Magwot; Fulani terrorists have since taken over these villages located strategically on the Attakad hills, in Moroa Chiefdom, Kaura LGA,” the Senator stated.
“… I call on all Southern Kaduna residents to give their maximum cooperation to the police, security operatives, the Nigeria military and all personnel legitimately deployed to secure us. Southern Kaduna natives and all residents must understand that the threat to take over their lands by force is not mere speculation or rumour. Everyone must be ready to sacrifice and assist in securing his/her community through committed cooperation with the constituted authorities in place,” he declared.