Kajuru attack: Community leaders narrate ordeal, say death toll rises to 118

The Adara Development Association (ADA) of Kajuru Local Government area of Kaduna State has said that the death toll of their people killed in the last three weeks has risen to 118.

This was even as the association said that the 52 persons were killed, while  43 houses set ablaze by unidentified gunmen in a fresh attack in three communities on Monday.

It will be recalled too that the Fulani too in the area had said 131 Fulani were killed by unknown gunmen.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna recently, the leader of the Fulani coalition groups, Alhaji Saleh Hassan, had said, “the Adara militia came in the night to carry out one of the most barbaric killings in recent times which resulted to the death of 131 of our kinsmen and women including children.

The Assistant National Secretary, Adara Development Association (ADA), Mr Luke Waziri, in a statement, on Tuesday, said multiple attacks were launched on the communities in the council by herdsmen.

Waziri said 52 persons were killed and dozens got injured in Inkirimi and Dogonnoma villages on Monday morning, while there was another attack on the same evening at Ungwan Gora (Labi Village) with dozens injured and 43 houses burnt down.

According to ADA,  with the attack launched in the area from February 10 till date and casualties figures had risen to 118.

Narrating how the attacks were conducted,  ADA’s  Assistant National Secretary said: “First, Ungwan Barde was attacked on February 10, 2019, and nobody said anything even though those in government knew about it.

Furthermore, the government pretended that the 11 people killed didn’t matter.  Then Karamai, another of our community was attacked on February 26 with 38 people killed.

“While the victims were buried in a mass grave and the injured yet to recover, Ungwan Barde village was attacked again on Sunday, March 10 and 17 people were killed and dozens of houses burnt.

“The next day, while we were still searching for more dead bodies, Inkirimi and Dogonnoma villages in Maro were attacked. 52 people were killed and dozens injured.  The smoke had barely settled when an attack was launched in the evening at Ungwan Gora (Labi Village) with dozens injured and 43 houses burnt down.

“Thousands of households have been displaced now and are moving from one village to the other in search of safety and refuge.

“In all these, not a single person has been arrested, non even questioned.  This is despite the fact that all the attacks took place either in the morning or in the evening – in full glare of everyone.  The terrorist came in their hundreds, take time to kill and then left without anyone being caught or apprehended by the security.

“However, in a strange twist of the application of justice, nine Adara elders and village chiefs were indiscriminately arrested and thrown into the Kaduna prison on allegations of complicity.

“The victims that have been killed and brutalised are the same ones being arrested and thrown into prison, while the real killers are being pampered, supported and allowed to freely continue their onslaught on people and our land.

“While we condole with all our people that have been killed and wish for a speedy recovery to those in various hospitals, we insist and demand that our leaders be unconditionally released. Their continued incarceration is a travesty of justice that has no place in our democratic setting.”

Meanwhile, the police image maker, DSP Yakubu Sabo had earlier confirmed that 16 persons were killed but could not confirm the number of those killed on the latest round of attacks in the area.