Again, killers on the prowl across Kaduna State

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Again, killers on the prowl across Kaduna State

There is a resurgence of killings in Kaduna State. But one question that is begging for an answer is why the government is helpless to arrest the situation. Is it possible that the terrorists have adopted a renewed strategy that seems to defy solution? Our correspondent in Kaduna State, Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo, takes a retrospective look into the carnage, arson and cold-blooded murder of innocent souls in the Birnin-Gwari axis and Southern Kaduna which have left many families in fear and hardship as President Muhammadu Buhari prepares to quit the stage.

From sectarian crisis to guerilla warfare

Kaduna, hitherto known for sectarian crisis allegedly manipulated by aggrieved politicians, especially during the former President Obasanjo era, has gradually turned into an unofficial base for terrorists of the ISWAP extraction and other criminal elements, particularly after the death of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau and the decimation of terrorists’ enclaves by the military in the infamous Sambisa Forest. With their occupation of vast and ungoverned areas in the forests of Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna State, life was never the same again, especially for the rural people in these areas. There were intermittent clashes between the ISWAP terrorists, local thieves and other criminals over the sphere of influence having formed a parallel government in those occupied areas and even imposed levies on farming communities.

But the most disturbing and daring of their activities were how they engaged the Nigerian troops in fierce combat with casualty figures on both sides, the series of attacks launched along the Birnin-Gwari Kaduna highway and Abuja- Kaduna highway, as well as the killings and kidnap for ransom in the night train, in towns and villages, in schools and higher institutions of learning across the state, leaving tales of woe and lamentations in their wake.

El- Rufai seeks carpet bombing of the forests

A visibly worried Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State had in early 2022, advocated that to put an end to acts of terrorism in his region, the security operatives should “carpet bomb” the forests from where these terrorists planned and launched attacks on the citizens. In fact, the situation then was so devastating as hardly a week passed without hearing the bleak news of death and kidnap by these terrorists in parts of the state. Although his advocacy attracted a lot of kudos and criticisms as well , the governor who once observed that there were no enough “boots on the ground” in the fight against the insurgents sought more investment in security personnel, technology and military equipment to wipe out terrorism “once and for all”. Kaduna in the Northwest region, has suffered so much from the activities of these men of the underworld.

Respite with the coming of General Lagbaja

With the coming of Maj-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja as the General Officer Commanding, GOC, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna in August 2022; there was a positive change in the fight against terrorism in his entire area of responsibility, which gave respite to the citizens especially the rural folks.

Lagbaja, a member of the 39 Regular Course who succeeded Maj-Gen Kabir Mukhtar at the Division, had charged officers and men of the Division to brace up for the challenges ahead. He lived by his words as he led series of successful operations against the terrorists in subsequent months and his superior fire power compelled many terrorists to flee.

Naira re-design policy and a lull in terrorist activities

Although cases abound of terrorist activities in the state which were not reported, there was generally a lull in their activities occasioned by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Naira redesign policy which led to a shortage of cash in çirculation. The CBN Governor and President Buhari had also claimed that the incident of kidnapping and banditry had reduced amid the Naira redesign. Kaduna also witnessed a reduction in such nefarious activities during the cash crunch, until of late when criminality heightened, causing deep sorrow and worry among the population.

Incessant attacks and killings in Southern Kaduna

What was earlier referred to as conflict between the natives in Southern Kaduna and the Fulani “settlers” who allegedly encroached into the natives’ farmland while grazing, resulting into skirmishes, might have overtime, grown in intensity coupled with other extraneous factors to become a major source of conflict in that volatile region. It’s traditionally believed that an aggrieved Fulani hardly forgives.

They are said to be good in mobilizing their kith and kin from far and near, to take revenge. They are also alleged to have spiritual power that makes them invisible while fighting enemies, and to disappear at the point of serious danger. Back in 2016, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said his administration traced some violent and aggrieved Fulani herdsmen to their countries and paid them to stop the killings in Southern Kaduna, where the crisis dated back to the 2011 elections. He said that the herdsmen, who were affected by the post election violence at the time, demanded compensation for the loss of their cattle which his government paid.

“For Southern Kaduna, we didn’t understand what was going on and we decided to set up a committee under Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) to find out what was going on there. What was established was that the root of the problem has a history starting from the 2011 post election violence. Fulani herdsmen from across Africa bring their cattle down towards Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria. The moment the rains start around March, April, they start moving them up to go back to their various communities and countries. Unfortunately, it was when they were moving up with their cattle across Southern Kaduna that the elections of 2011 took place and the crisis trapped some of them.

“Some of them were from Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Senegal. Fulanis are in 14 African countries and they traverse this country with the cattle. So many of these people were killed, cattle lost and they organised themselves and came back to revenge.
“So, a lot of what was happening in Southern Kaduna was actually from outside Nigeria. We got a hint that the late Governor Patrick Yakowa got this information and he sent someone to go round some of these Fulani communities, but of course after he died, the whole thing stopped. That is what we inherited.

But the Agwai committee established that. We took certain steps. We got a group of people that were going round, trying to trace some of these people in Cameroon, Niger Republic and so on to tell them that there is a new governor who is Fulani like them and has no problem paying compensations for lives lost and he is begging them to stop killing. In most of the communities, once that appeal was made to them, they said they have forgiven.

There were one or two that asked for monetary compensation. They said they have forgiven the death of human beings, but wanted compensation for cattle. We said no problem, and we paid some.,” El-Rufai said. According to him, the renewed violence in Southern Kaduna was being perpetrated by bandits. However, in recent times stories of carnage; killings and damage to homes allegedly by the herdsmen in Southern Kaduna have raised concerns in many cycles.

The leadership of the Miyetti Allah Fulani association has denied the allegation, saying it was not the duty of the Southern Kaduna Union to speculate on who was responsible for the attacks but should allow the security agencies to investigate. In one of the series of attacks by the suspected terrorists on Atak’Njei community in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, no fewer than eight lives were lost. The attack which happened at about 9 pm on a Wednesday night, came weeks after a similar attack on Langson community in the same local government area that claimed 10 lives. Atak’Njei is the community housing the Palace of the Atyap Paramount ruler, Agwatyap.

The National President, Atyap Community Development Association, ACDA, Mr Sam Timbuwak Achie, condemned the attack which he called “barbaric” and called on security operatives to fish out those behind the series of attacks in Atyapland. The Council Chairman, Zango Kataf Local Government Area, Mr. Francis Sani Zimbo, said the injured received treatment at different hospitals in the area.
Attacks on Southern Kaduna have left many dead and scores injured over the past few years, a development that has kept the military on its toes, despite allegations and blames of not doing enough to end incessant attacks in that volatile part of Kaduna State. In most of the attacks, the assailants unleashed mayhem while the people were asleep.

Sometime in March 2023, the umbrella body of Southern Kaduna people, SOKAPU reacted to the killings in a community and accused the military of complicity. The military has since denied the allegation and according to report, military troops were stationed in strategic areas within Southern Kaduna in readiness for any eventuality.

Attacks on Clergymen

Terrorists have killed a number of Kaduna Clergymen while over 100 languished in terrorists den.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna State, Rev Joseph John Hayab confirmed the killing by terrorists of Rev. Musa Mairimi, the minister in charge of ECWA Church, Buda two, Kasuwa Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, adding that there were over I00 kidnapped victims in the terrorist’s den, and that some had spent more than six months in captivity. He said another Baptist Pastor was kidnapped by the terrorists, who killed a person close to the Pastor before taking him away and regretted that there was a resurgence of kidnappings and banditry, now that cash was available. Hayab who said the terrorists were negotiating for the release of the Pastor with his family in millions, however, lamented that people don’t even have much money to pay as ransom. He said the new wave of terrorism was targeting Local Government Areas of Kauru, Jaba, Kachia, Kagarko and Kajuru, and alleged that those in power were more concerned about elections than the safety and security of the citizens they governed.

Northern Christian elders react

A group of Christian elders in the North, wondered if the renewed killings in Benue, Southern Kaduna and Taraba, were Buhari’s parting gift to those affected and called on him and the various security agencies to take decisive action against the perpetrators. The Christian elders under the aegis of Northern States Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF ), through the Chairman, Engr Oyinehi Ejoga Inalegwu, said the recent increasing wave of unchecked and persistent killings in Benue, Taraba and Southern Kaduna by bandits and herdsmen was like the parting gift of the Buhari administration to their people as it rounds up its 8-year rule. They wondered why such wanton killings can be perpetrated without any counter from the security forces. They therefore, called on the security forces to checkmate the ugly trend and go after those terrorizing, killing, maiming people and destroying properties of citizens.

The Birnin-Gwari Triangle of death

Also, communities in the Birnin-Gwari axis, from the Buruku Udawa end, down to the Western flank up to the Giwa Galadiawa axis that linked Katsina and Zamfara, had suffered different kinds of

attacks from terrorists. For now, the ISWAP terrorists have concentrated on locations around Birnin-Gwari where they kill, loot, maim and run away. The air component of the Nigerian military keeping watch over the area, had in a recent operation, killed many terrorists while attempting to flee.

Just last Sunday, the terrorists attacked the Unguwan Liman community in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where they killed a community leader, Mai Unguwa and abducted scores. The terrorists threatened to launch another attack on the community. “An unspecified number of people were kidnapped including male and female. In the nearby Kwanan Shehu community they looted shops only”, a local said.

The gold connection

A factor associated with terrorism in that region which stretched to the Zamfara axis, was the abundance of gold and other precious minerals which attracted illegal miners, from within and outside the country. Although there was a ban on mining, the activities still persist, allegedly in collaboration with local chiefs, with some of them using the local bandits as guides to continue with the flourishing business in gems, precious stones and other highly expensive objects that fetch big money in the world markets. It was also alleged that retired senior military officers of Northern extraction were associated with such mining activities with their local and international collaborators.

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara had expressed dismay on the manner in which big foreign and indigenous companies and their owners, looted the mineral resources of the state without any benefit to the government or the people. He had also regretted how mining activities had put the lives of many people in Zamfara state, in danger.

Government reacts to escape of kidnapped female students

The Kaduna State Government, through the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said kidnapped female students of Government Secondary School, Awon, Kachia LGA escaped from terrorists’ den. He said Governor El-Rufai expressed delight and praised the students for sheer courage. The eight female students were kidnapped by terrorists on Monday 3rd of April 2023 in Awon general area of Kachia LGA. According to Aruwan, “the students, according to preliminary briefings, escaped from a thick forest around the Kaduna – Niger interstate boundaries and walked for days before arriving at a location where they were harboured. Human intelligence sources subsequently alerted the Kaduna State Government for immediate evacuation. Governor Nasir El-Rufai on receipt of the intelligence, then directed the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to liaise with the 1 Division, Nigerian Army for urgent evacuation of the students to Kaduna Metropolis, as it was credibly gathered that the terrorists were combing forests in the area to recapture the students.

“The students have been safely evacuated to a military facility where they are presently receiving medical attention. Meanwhile, Governor El-Rufai has expressed his delight over the development, and has praised the students for demonstrating sheer courage and resilience in making their escape from captivity. The Governor admonished them to view the horrific experience as a turning point, and pursue their education with renewed vigour for a purposeful future. The Governor also commended the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, Major General OT Akinjobi for the prompt evacuation and the ongoing medicals being conducted on the students.,” Aruwan said.