Kajuru crisis: Stop spreading false information, police warns Adara elders

The Kaduna state police command has warned Adara elders to stop spreading false information aimed at creating fear and apprehension among the peace-loving people of the state.

In a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna on Friday and signed by the command’s image-maker, ASP Mohammed Jalige said the purported fresh Fulani attacks in Kajuru communities credited to the President of Adara Development Association was false and fabricated story being circulated on social media.

According to the police, the intention of the cultural association is to create fear and apprehension among the people of the state, saying the police would deal decisively with any person or group of people by facing the wrath of the law.

The full statement read as follows :

‘The attention of the Kaduna State Police Command has been drawn to a Fake and maliciously fabricated story being circulated on social media, purportedly issued by the National President of Adara Development Association dated 28th May 2020 captioned Again Fulani Herdsmen Attacked Southern Kaduna Communities in which the writer reported that there are fresh attacks on some communities in Kajuru L.G.A where he claimed that from January to May 2020 people were killed and many injured and displaced from their homes.

‘However, it could be recalled that the Command had confirmed two unfortunate incidents of attack on Gonar Rogo and Unguwan Arha communities in Kajuru area of Kaduna State on 12th and 13th May 2020 by unknown gunmen which regrettably led to the unjustified killing of twenty-seven (27) innocent persons.

‘The Command, therefore, wishes to categorically debunk the story in its entirety as fake and deliberately disseminated to create fear and apprehension in the minds of peace-loving people of Kaduna State and Kajuru in particular.

‘ The authority is saddened by the recent attacks on some communities in Kajuru, although a relative peace has been restored, it would not fold its hands to watch certain individuals whose aims and objectives (though yet unknown), is tantamount to truncating the efforts of the Police, other sister security agencies and the Government of Kaduna State in ensuring that, lasting peace returns to the affected areas by making unnecessary inflammatory statements and raising frayed nerves.

‘The Kaduna Police Command would not spare any effort in ensuring that the elements of darkness do not escape the long arms of the law.

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‘Therefore, the fabricated and malicious figures being circulated in the media should be disregarded and discountenanced by the general public and all media houses should endeavour to seek for clarifications on security matters through the Commissioner of Police or the Public Relations Department to avoid being caught in circulating fake news as the consequences of such would be very dire.

‘The Command has upgraded security within the affected areas of Kajuru/Kasuwan Magani, by deploying more Policemen in synergy with other sister security agencies on the directive of the Commissioner of Police CP UM MURI to ensure that there is no further break down of law and order in the area while concerted efforts are being made through Community engagement strategies to enlighten the affected areas against reprisal attacks.

‘The Command assures members of the public that, no stone will be left unturned to apprehend the perpetrators of the attacks recorded on 12th and 13th May 2020 with a view to bringing them to book.

‘ The Command, therefore, implores the public to be aware that the story is ill-motivated and intentionally orchestrated to cause unnecessary panic and to undermine the giant strides of the present leadership of the Command aimed at carrying out the core Police duties to protect lives and property of all the good citizens of the State, and this should be condemned by all.

‘The Command is assuring the general public of performing its avowed responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry. Therefore, all law-abiding citizens are advised to go about their lawful businesses, while the orchestrators/circulators of fake news are hereby warned to desist from such acts, as they would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.