How Fulani Herdsmen Massacre 25 In Kaduna and Plateau states

About 15 people have been reported killed in Ambe-Madaki Village in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna state in a fresh attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Also on Friday, at least 10 persons were killed and over 20 houses burnt in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following hostilities between the same Fulani herdsmen and the natives.

The Kaduna incident which was said to have occurred at about 4 a.m came barely one week after 10 people were killed in Tattaura Village in the same locality allegedly by Fulani herdsmen.

A resident of the area,  Mr. Yohanna Adamu,  who narrated how the incident took place in a telephone interview said the Fulani invaders who were armed with sophisticated guns arrived the village early in the morning and started shooting sporadically and setting houses ablaze.

Adamu said several other people sustained injuries from gun shots while over 20 houses were set ablaze.

He said the incident sparked off mass protest by various communities in the area who matched to Gwantu, the headquarters of Sanga Local Government to register their displeasure over the attacks in spite of the peace agreement signed with the Fulanis never to attack anyone.

According to him, the protest almost turned into a religious crisis, adding that the prompt intervention of the special Military Task Force on security averted the crisis.

"We are surprised that despite the agreement that our communities entered into with the Fulanis not to attack each other, they have been attacking us. They came to our village armed with sophisticated weapons and started shooting and burning houses.

"We have not compiled the casualty figure yet because some people are still missing, but we have 15 corpses already. This is the second time they are attacking us after we signed the agreement to live in peace. Last week, they attacked Tattaura Village and killed 10 people,” Adamu said.

He added that because of the growing uncertainty over their security, the villagers had been relocating to other places for safety.

Adamu called on the authorities concerned to address the security situation in Sanga Local Government Area before the situation gets out of hand.

Although the spokesman of the Kaduna State Command, DSP Aminu Lawan could not be reached for comments, but a security source in Sanga who said he was not authorised to speak to journalists confirmed the incident.

He said some people were killed in the attack, adding however that he was not in the position to confirm the casualty figure.

10 Killed, 20 Houses Torched in Plateau…
In a related development, least 10 persons were killed and over 20 houses burnt in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following hostilities between the Fulani herdsmen and the natives.

Also, the anti-bomb squad of the state’s Police Command on the same day defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) close to the resident of a prominent Islamic scholar, Sheik Yahaya Jingir in Jos.

The renewed hostilities between the Fulanis in Mangu and the natives started early this week when three persons were beheaded in Kantoma Village in the area, on Wednesday. THISDAY gathered that the Fulanis suspected to be on revenge mission swooped on Shurun Village and killed ten people before razing over 20 houses in the early morning attack.

An eyewitness said the gunmen whose arrival was heralded by sporadic gunshots scared most of the residents causing them, especially the women to flee into the bush for safety, adding that the attackers were aided by the Fulanis living within the village and other surrounding villages.

He said: "It is quite worrisome that some of the gunmen have been identified as the Fulani herdsmen living within our communities. They carried out these deadly attacks and got back to their huts unharmed. The calibre of arms and ammunitions used by the attackers showed that it was well co-ordinated to eliminate us.”

When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, DSP Abuh Emmanuel said he was yet to get full details of the attack from the Divisional Police Officer DPO of the area.

Meanwhile, Jingri and his followers, who had gathered in large number to celebrate the Eid-el-Maulud narrowly escaped death.

The Special Task Force (STF) Media Officer, Captain Iweha Ikedichi, who confirmed the incident, said the bomb was probably planted in the area on Thursday ahead of the Friday festival. He said immediately it was discovered the entire vicinity was condoned off and men of the state anti-bomb squad were invited to defuse the bomb.

He enjoined people of the state to be extra careful and report any suspected objects or movements to the security agencies for prompt action.