Communities and villages of Southern Kaduna State have continued to witness series of terror attacks visited on them by armed men suspected to be Fulani militias. On the recent happenings within that axis, information reaching Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN has it that suspected Fulani Militias staged a protracted onslaught on the communities and villages of Kagoro Chiefdom in Kaura LGA, Southern Kaduna. As a result, no fewer than 29 people, in addition to 2 security personnel, have been reportedly killed in the recent onslaughts carried out against 4 settlements which are, Agban, Tsonje, Katanga and Kadarko, all within the Kagoro) at about 7:00PM of Sunday, 20th, March, 2022.
According to a source that pleads anonymity, the incident is said to had started since Thursday 17th, March to Sunday 20th March, 2022. “…this resulted in the killing and maiming of scores of the community people including women and children. The gory incident has been reported on different media outfits and little or nothing is said to have been done to avert the situation which factually has it that the deaths toll is 26 as at Monday 21/3/2022 morning while search for missing persons is still ongoing. It is feared that the total has increased this morning- 22/3/2022 with 5 other corpses found around Chonjum community of Agban.
It is gathered that “….the attackers made several attempts to strike since last Thursday, but could not had their way through due to presence of local security outfits alongside conventional security personnel on ground…” said the source and that “such attempts informed for security meeting summoned on Sunday at Kagoro’s town-hall, but it was interrupted by heightened tension arising from rumor about another intended attack likely to be visited on the people…” lamentably added.
Despite the early dismissal of the people at the said meeting, it’s sad that the attack was still launched at about 7:00pm, and “..it lasted about 2 hours before we witnessed response after many lives have been lost and properties destroyed ” the sourced echoed, as many other persons sustained varying degrees of injury and are on admission at nearby medical facilities. The local source further has it that the fierceness of the invasion also claimed the lives of 2 security personnel upon their intervention.
Amongst the property affected include, the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA Bishara 1) Agban and its pastorium. As at 4:00pm of today, information sourced out has it that injured victims are receiving treatment at ECWA Clinic Kagoro and Rural General Hospital Kaura. The Senator Representing the Southern Kaduna is said to have visited the victims at the ECWA Clinic Kagoro and have offset part of the medical bills while majority of the survivors of Agban Community are said to have been sparsely scattered in search of refuge with relatives in neighboring communities.
Going by what is reported, it is evidently clear that the following issues are to be given rapt consideration and utmost priority in the circumstance of the incident:
1. Urgent provision of food and building relief materials, clothing and Psycho- social support as a matter of urgency. This is in view of the fact that the affected villages have not recovered yet from the previous ordeals as fallout of similar experiences meted out on them by the militias, who are said to have been mostly having their field season of onslaughts;
2. More deployment of security personnel to the area in view; this will aid rapid response and curb down casualty on the part of the security to be able to contend the situation before hand;Federal and State Government should consider payment of #10 Million and #5 Million compensation on each person killed and house destroyed respectively, whereas #2 Million be given to every injured person;
3. Discreet investigation and cordon-search for arrest as well as dislodgement of the militias from their hideouts in order to guarantee safety of residents in and around Kagoro area; and
4. And any other step deemed appropriate in the circumstance(s).
By:
Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq.
Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria-ECCVN
