Southern Kaduna attack: Death toll rises to 28

CHIEF of Atakad community in Southern
Kaduna, Kaduna State, Chief Tobias
Nkom Wada, has said the death toll
from attack by gunmen in four villages
in the area, last weekend, had risen to
28.
Speaking when members of the House
of Representatives from Southern
Kaduna, led by Honourable Godfrey
Gaya (Jaba/Zangon Kataf federal
constituency),visited the area to
commiserate with the victims, the chief
said the gunmen, who were suspected
to be Fulani herdsmen, had now moved
up to  the mountains that surrounded
the community.
Other members on the entourage were
Honourable Gideon L. Gwani (Kaura
federal constituency), Honourable
Adams Jagaba Adams (Kachia/Kagarko
constituency), Honourable Simon Arabo
(Kauru federal constituency) and
Honourable Shehu N. Garba (Jema’a/
Sanga constituency) .
Chief Wada said no Fulani was hurt
before the killings, adding that “on
March 20, it was discovered that one of
our sons was found with deep cuts and
his throat slit in the bush in one of the
villages up the hill. The Fulani were the
suspect, because prior to this time,
there had been minor problems over
grazing issues.”
He said “on Tuesday, with the help of
the Joint Task Force (JTF), we found
corpses of 28 people and buried them.
At least 200 houses were burnt in one
of the villages that our people could
count with the help of soldiers.
“As the soldier left on Tuesday, the
Fulani have taken over the villages. No
one can go back up the hill. Now, the
rains have started. Some have lost
family and are living as refugees. Yet
they cannot go back and farm, after
their entire food crops have been
burnt. Next year will be terrible.”
“I am pleading with government to send
security so that we can go back and
start our lives all over again.”
The national president, Atakad
Community Development Association,
Mr Ishaya Kudien, said the refugee
figure had increased.
“We heard the refugee was given as
5,000. That is far below the truth. As of
yesterday (Wednesday), we have about
100,000 refugee from the violence.
Many are living with relations, some are
staying with family friends and some
have relocated, more have joined the
camps,” he said.