Details have emerged over the weekend on how Kataf militias allegedly murdered three Fulani Muslims in Southern Kaduna, leaving two others with varying degrees of injuries.
Muslim News gathered that the latest killings of Muslims in the crisis-ridden region is coming days after a peace meeting was held between leaders of the two warring groups at the instance of the state government, with a peace pact signed.
In an unsigned statement issued last week Thursday, September 10, the Muslim Youth Foundation of Southern Kaduna (MYFOSKA) decried the excesses of the Atyap militias even in the face of a peace pact, asserting that the peace meeting has in no way stopped the group from killing the Muslims.
The National Chairman of the group, Mohammed Kabir Bello told Muslim News in a telephone call on Monday that the press release, which has been published only by few blogs, emanated from MYFOSKA.
Findings revealed that the statement, titled, “Fresh Killings in Southern Kaduna: The Recently Signed Peace Pact in Zangon-Kataf, an Illusion Rather than Reality” didn’t however receive prominence in the Nigerian mainstream media almost a week after the three Hausa-Fulani Muslims were allegedly killed by the Atyap militias.
The statement reads: “We want to draw the attention of the Kaduna state government and general public to the ongoing gorilla attacks and murder of Muslim Fulani people that is ongoing in some parts of Zangon Kataf local government of Kaduna state. It’s no longer news that the crises in southern Kaduna did not only grab the attention of the media outlets both within Nigeria and beyond, but also became a subject of great debate and controversy. A number of efforts has so far been made to de-escalate violence and restore peaceful coexistence in the region.
“Recall that on Saturday, 22nd August, 2020, His Royal Highness, the Agwa Atyap, Sir Dominic Gambo Yahaya had organized a peace meeting and called on all critical stakeholders from all walks of the divide in his chiefdom. In attendance were the leaders and representatives of both Atyap and Hausa/Fulani, and a number of resolutions have been arrived at, aimed at maintaining lasting peace in the the chiefdom. Parts of the agreement reached were:
1. Refraining from the mounting of illegal roadblocks.
2. Provision of vital information to security agencies on any security threat in the communities.
3. Refraining from spreading lies and propaganda capable of breaching peaceful coexistence in the region.
4. Granting to all residents of the chiefdom their constitutionally fundamental human right to live in any part thereof without any fear, molestation or harassment from anyone.
“However, the meeting has appeared to be a lame duck and exercise in futility, because it didn’t in anyway stop the Atyap militias from unleashing their terror and atrocities on the muslims. Earlier yesterday, Tuesday, 8th September, 2020, the following three unarmed and defenseless Fulani men were killed by the Kataf militias in their Ruga that is very close to Gora Gan:
1. Abdullahi Hassan
2. Yusuf Hassan Sogiji
3. Abubakar Hassan
“While another Fulani man by name Musa Hassan and his father, Mallam Hassan are currently undergoing treatment in Jama’a Clinic in Zonkwa for sustaining various degrees of injuries from that dastardly act. This merciless attack came at a time when Agwa Atyap was holding another peace meeting with the Hausa/Fulani people of Zango urban in his palace in Unguwan Gayya.”
The group also noted that the attacks have persisted since then, citing other examples, while also declaring that the peace meeting has failed in its entirety.
“The attack keeps persisting the following morning. That was on Wednesday, 9th September, 2020, when one Abdulrashid Lawal Malan was found dead in Kurmin Masara, very close to Bakin Kogi bridge.
“Again, another similar tragedy occured on that same Wednesday, 9th September, 2020 in the same Kurmin Masara when some erect Kataf militias mounted a roadblock and stopped a motor car belonging to a driver, by name Maitalata Idris Narutu, native of Zango urban, who lives in Dokan Lere who has narrowly escaped.
“The surprising part of it was that, all this breach of peace accord were perpetuated at a time when Agwa Atyap was holding meetings with the Fulani people in his palace. What do we call this? Is it a deception, consipracy or a breach of trust?”
While calling on the government and security agencies to do the needful by bringing perpetrators to book, the group sued for calm, enjoining the Hausa-Fulani people not to take the law into their hands.
“As law abiding citizens who have great confidence in the government, security agencies and other constituted authorities, we want to state categorically that the peace meetings organized by the Agwa Atyap is nothing but an attempt to annihilate the Muslim Ummah and deny them their constitutional rights to freedom of movement, while falsely assuring the general public and the government that peace has been restored.
“While we condemn any act of violence, we cannot fold our arms to rely on the so called peace meeting which has failed in its entirety to stop the Atyap militias from taking the law into their hands. We call on the security agencies deployed in the area to live above board and ensure the safety of innocent passersby along the major roads as well as the unarmed fulani herdsmen grazing with their cows.
“We also call the government of Kaduna state to carry out forensic investigation with a view to identifying the perpetrators and culprits and bringing them to face the long arm of the law. While we await the government to do the needful, we equally urge all peace loving Hausa/fulani people not to take the law into their hands.”
By Abdullah Abdulganiy
