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Outrage as herdsmen kill monarch, nephew in Kaduna

By From Saxone Akhaine, Northern Bureau Chief
03 May 2016   |   3:48 am
“Prior to the latest attack, the district head had applied an insecticide in his room and was sleeping outside his big compound when the Fulani unleashed the attack.
The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday condemned the killing of a traditional ruler in Fadan Karshi, Sanga local government area of the state.
The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday condemned the killing of a traditional ruler in Fadan Karshi, Sanga local government area of the state.

• Fleeing residents accuse cattle rearers of murdering 1,500
• El-Rufai urges calm, police command awaits briefing by DPO

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

“Prior to the latest attack, the district head had applied an insecticide in his room and was sleeping outside his big compound when the Fulani unleashed the attack.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

According to another community leader from the area, the violence took place around 10:30p.m. last Sunday night.

His words: “It was very hot inside and people were sleeping outside. Around 10:00 p.m., the chief moved into his house with his family. Then some gunmen, who our people said were Fulani, stormed his compound and started shooting. They went into his room and shot him pointblank. They also shot a small boy, Emmanuel Tanko, who was writing his final year secondary school exams. The boy was a nephew of the late chief.

“Right now, Fadan Karshi is deserted. Shops and service centres are shut. People are either staying in-doors or are leaving the town. No one knows what is coming next. Police are patrolling the streets, but I am not sure if they have any clue about the murderers.

“I want you to recall that this was the district head that received former governor, Mukhtar Yero, on September 22, 2014 when our women protested half- naked because of the scale of killings by the Fulani going on at that time.

“Today, the type of killings going on is murdering of isolated people. Cattle are also grazing freely on people’s farms in these areas of Sanga and people are afraid to do anything about it. Now, they are targeting people and eliminating them. What people are saying about the killings of our district head is that he might have been killed by the Fulani who have a grudge with this community and the ruler.”

According to the source, “in May 2014, some Fulani armed men invaded the police station here and seven people were killed. As they were escaping, two were killed in an exchange of gunfire between them and the police.

“The Fulani Association later petitioned the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and copied the then governor. They said that our late district head should be arrested, dethroned and prosecuted for the death of the two Fulani. We still have a copy of the petition. We suspect that his death may be connected to that incident.”

The Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, Zubairu Abubakar, in his reaction, said that he was aware of the incident, but that he was waiting for the divisional police officer from Karshi to furnish him with details.

While commiserating with the family of the victims, El-Rufai urged the people of Sanga Local Council to be calm and support the security agencies to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators.

In a statement, his media aide, Malam Samuel Aruwan, said the governor spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the eight local councils of Kaduna South Senatorial District. He said the security agencies were investigating the attack, and were working to apprehend the culprits.

The governor assured the party leaders of his commitment to peace and security in every part of the state.

“It is a sad development. But we will not relent in our duty of protecting our people. We shall continue to strengthen the security agencies to do a better job, as well as encourage harmonious coexistence across our communities.

“The gains made in recent months to eliminate violent communal clashes in the area must be upheld. We must all be vigilant and do our best to maintain the peace in our communities,” the governor said.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

23 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Again, Fulani herdsmen? The silence is too loud.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Buhari is an idiot, he was crying on the TV when he was not yet elected as if he cared about Nigerians, now his people are killing people with pleasure and he sees nothing wrong with it, cattle rearers. Ooo, and he is fighting militant with their oil who have not attacked any one, wicked people

      • Author’s gravatar

        Stop insulting our president. No help can get to any defenseless person under attack at any time. Self defense first and the law allows it. Prepare now to defend yourself. make sure your attacker goes away with injury or even dies. The Police, Army, and even Mr President will be happy with you.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Is there still a police force in Nigeria?

  • Author’s gravatar

    Why repeating the same paragraph many times? The storyline is too repetitive.

  • Author’s gravatar

    But the herdsmen are very friendly to Muslim communities nationwide. What a beautiful coincidence?

  • Author’s gravatar

    #WhereIsBuhari #WhereIsOurPresident

  • Author’s gravatar

    It is not violent communal clash. Why is the government and Police so naive or hypocritical. It is earthly cleansing. can they not see it. The minorities have no protection from the government and the law. it is a banana and barbaric republic approaching. But here is my prophesy. In the name of Jesus, if they continue to allow this, The LORD of armies (host) will defend the minorities. I will not tell you what the implication will be. Go and read the bible and fear. If you people like, heed my warning.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This Government is headed by PMB a fulani, so the fulani believe that whatever they do nothing would happen to them. That is the reason for the surge in indiscriminate destruction of property and killing of people. This government can’t protect the fulani victims so it is in their own interests the victims organise themselves for self protection.

  • Author’s gravatar

    The new face of Boko haram is here. This is ‘change’ truly.

  • Author’s gravatar

    That Part of Kaduna is not part of ACF! It is part of SE to the AREWA governors!

  • Author’s gravatar

    The chicken is now coming home to roost. If it happened in the south and nothing apparent was done to cob it menace by this administration, now that the war is in the north we are waiting for their action. This is how BH started and the then government was dragging their feet before BH exploded in their face. Since majority of these cowards with AK 47 are Fulani the country is waiting to see our president action as his inaction on this security treat has been too slow and worrisome.

  • Author’s gravatar

    In the first place, our President is not an idiot. Using foul language against our President is unacceptable. But I vehemently condemn the killing of people by the fulani herdsmen. it is totally reprehensible. Buhari must rise and crush these criminals

  • Author’s gravatar

    Islamization strategy. We see it coming. Buhari, we are watching and praying

  • Author’s gravatar
  • Author’s gravatar

    The Governor, Nasir El Rufai has made the usual statement ‘condemned the killing and appealed for calm’, after some demons killed a prominent personality and a promising future leader reading for his exams. I am weeping as i am writing this comment. The governor did not issue any stern warning to the killers, he did not call on the police with passion and tears to fish out the culprits. An Obama as a governor or president in America will not behave that way. I don’t want to comment on the President’s attitude towards this Fulani Herds men development. It actually leaves much to be desired. We keep losing valuable and innocent souls in this Nation as a result of the callousness of some heartless killers. I hope the situation will not get out of hand one day. Some people might get angry at some point and move to stop this senselessness and then it would have been too late and the nation will regret it forever. I hate to see promising youths killed (North, East, West, South or South South) by idiots and those in authority treat such a situation with levity. The reaction from El Rufai surely would have been different if the young man that was shot dead was his son.

  • Author’s gravatar

    These people are rebels; they are not peace loving Nigerians, victims must rescue themselves from further victimization by procuring necessary weapons by all means possible to defend their lives and property.

  • Author’s gravatar

    These were exactly my premonitions when I heard that Buhari had won the elections. I said to myself…Run…Run…Run The fulanis are coming…Now they have arrived…!