Zango Kataf crisis: We are not in war, Atyap people declare

The Atyap people of Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna state has stated that contrary to the belief in some quarters that the Atyap are at war with Fulani, the Atyap has said they are not at war with any tribe.

This assertion was made by the President of Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA), Mr Samuel T. Achie during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Saturday.

Going memory lane, the Atyap leader noted that his people have lived with the Fulani and other tribes in peace and harmony until 1992 when peace eroded their land.

He said the Atyap people of Zango Kataf are not at war with the Fulanis or any other group as people would think, saying, ‘we have never declared war in our land.

Achie remarked that the peace process initiated by their monarch, Agwatyap, Sir Dominic Yahaya has been ongoing, saying,’ ‘since January we have not had of any crisis in our land and people were jubilating until this July.

‘ We are compelled at this stage to make this statement in order to bring the attention of the world and Nigeria in particular on the attacks and the assuming genocide on the land for those following the development to know.

‘ The attacks spanned across the Atyap dominated districts in the Chiefdom as if it was a deliberate act. These attacks are not mere herders or Banditry, but premeditated attempts to wipe out the Atyap race.

‘ We have made efforts to be at peace with all the people in the chiefdom thus the importance of this briefing.

According to him, the Atyap people were defenceless for the whole time the carnage took place with no protection. There is no place in all the areas attacked that has a distance of more than 10 to 15 minutes drive from one security checkpoint to the other.

“It is not only lives and houses that were destroyed, but crops and places of worship inclusive. Our people are known to be purely peasant farmers, but at this season of farming have to abandon their farms for fear of being killed.

“All schools in the area are closed down hence our children can no longer go to school, therefore, creating a humanitarian crisis for all the displaced people in the land.

“These whole things look like the Fulani Militia wants to grab and occupy our land. The Atyap people are law-abiding citizens that have been loyal to all successive governments to date and wonder why we should be left alone to carry our cross now.

“Based on these, we ask that government provide more troops, humanitarian relief materials and a peaceful atmosphere for all, else we will be left with no other option than to protect ourselves using all legal means.

“This dastardly act of unimaginable magnitude of cowardice assault perpetrated by agents of darkness who are bent on destroying already-established pathway to sustainable peaceful coexistence between all category of persons and tribes resident in Atyap Land as being championed by the paramount ruler of Atyap Land the Agwatyap Sir. Dominic Yahaya must be stopped by all well-meaning citizens.

Achie disclosed that since last year, they have made frantic efforts to meet and discuss with the Hausa and the Fulani community to reach a compromise on how to live in peace with each other and are still on that course.

“We have always toured the path of peace not that we are cowards, but because it is what our parents bequeathed to us, by and large, our religion taught us so. In spite of that, we will not fold our hands to be annihilated and our lands taken over.

“The absolute silence of the government on all these happenings in Atyap Land makes us begin to wonder whether the Atyap people are still citizens of the state because we are yet to see any proactive step by the government to end these killings in our soil, neither has there being any comforting statement in reference to our situation.

‘For this reason, we, therefore, call on the government of Kaduna state to without fear or favour come alive to its responsibility to put an end to the dastard and condemnable killings of its citizens.

“The government should ensure that the perpetrators are fished out and brought to face the wrath of the law. We say enough is enough looking at the casualties.

“In all the attacks in the 12 different villages as of today 15th July 2021, a total of 42 people were killed and 338 houses burnt with 7 people wounded. Several other valuables were not left out as 8 Cars, 13 motorcycles, generators, food and domestic items were either looted or consumed by fire, he said

“Among the Houses razed down by the activities of these Fulani militias are the family compound of our paramount Ruler, His Royal Highness Sir Dominic Yahaya in Magamiya and also the Family Compound of Retired Major General Shekari Biliyock in Abuyab a former commandant of the Nigeria-African Peace Keeping Arm, the ECOMOG.

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