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HomeNewsKAJURU KILLINGS: Fulani Group Demands Investigation

KAJURU KILLINGS: Fulani Group Demands Investigation

…Appeals to State and Federal Govt. To Set Up Panel

The Joint Fulani Organization has demanded for the setting up of an independent panel of investigation to unravel  mystery of missing corpses hidden and/or buried in the Kajuru attacks.Addressing a crowded Press Conference at the Secretariat of the Kaduna state Council of the  Night Union of Journalist (‘NUJ) Friday February 22, 2019, the organization said, “The setting up by the Federal/Kaduna state government of an independent panel ofinvestigation to unravel the mystery of missing dead bodies hidden and/or burnt to death in the affected areas has become necessary.To the security agencies, the organization said “The security agencies need to commence the process of detailed documentation of the violence, .including the collection of exhibits and all relevant information to isolate the perpetrators of the violence, arrest and prosecute them for genocide as their action was the total extermination of the families.“In terms of human loss, 131 persons have so far been killed. The bodies of 66 persons wererecovered as earlier stated, where mass burials were performed, with the highest being 37 persons buried in a single, shallow grave in a valley. The dead bodies of 65 pastoralists are yet to be recovered. It is important to say their families were captured by the Adara youths and moved in the directions of the forest for cool-blooded execution in the most brutal ways.It is by now an undeniable fact that in the early hours of Monday 11h February 2019, a militiagroup from known villages dominated by the Adara ethnic group unleash one the most heinousand brutal extermination of Fulani pastoralists. As recounted by the survivors of the brutalmurder, in weapons, cutlasses, axes, knives and sticks to murder entire households settlements of theFulani Pastoralists just a period of less than three hours, misguided youths used sophisticated weapons on them.Resulting from the outcry, the Military began operations in the area from the afternoon ofJanuary 2019. So many persons in hiding were rescued, while those wounded were treated through surgery and were taken to various hospitals and are currently undergoing processes to remove bullets in their bodies and other forms of treatment.Following the military investigations in the affected communities, 66 dead bodies were recoveredwhile many others were burntbeyond recognition. Over one hundred (100) animals, mainly cows, sheep and goats, weremostly mutilated and dumped in shallow wells and valleys and several properties including motorcycles, bicycles and household items weredestroyed. Several houses were also completely burnt and vandalized.The violence has created humanitarian disaster. The few survivors are left without food, shelter and clothing .They are distressed and perplexed with no hope for the future since the livestock are either killed or strayed away yet to be recovered. In addition hundreds of the surroundingfamilies are fleeing due to fear of similar attacksWhile these acts of violence are condemnable, our organisations collectively denounce theattempt by many individuals and organisations to deny this heinous crime. Since the news of the carnage first broke, some people without any iota of evidence began discrediting the reports from the security authorities. Furthermore, many others began to politicize thisgruesome crime, where innocent lives were lost.Our organisations had taken time to interact with the victims and ascertain the level of death,killing of animals, loss of properties. It is established that the attackers applied maximum violence, adopting total annihilation where all members of families attacked were killed irrespective of age and gender. For this reason, nobody was spared, except those who survivethrough the miracles of the Almighty God..In the interest of peace and social tranquility, especially at this period of national elections, ourorganisations deliberately responded using subtle language so as not to inflame the polity.However, we have sadly noted with grave concern the efforts of some individuals and groupsincluding to our utter dismay “rented” vocalist external to the affected areas in the person ofthe former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Prof Chidi Odinkalu who appeared on a national media to deny this genocidal massacre of innocent men, women, children and the aged claiming that his Elections monitors have not reported the event. Onewonders when election monitors became the custodians of the peace and security of citizensAgain, the tribally and religiously inclined Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) as well as Chidi Odinkalu who various platforms of the Adara people, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN have found it expedient to continue to deploy political sentiments to shield the atrocities, extol the killers and subvert the path for the search of justice to the victims.We are constrained to present to the public the names of the victims of this barbaric massacrebecause it appears those that want to deny this atrocities committed on the Pastoralists community in Kajuru Local Government of Kaduna state ever took place are not abating in their desperate attempts to misinform the public by politicizing the killings and downplaying thenumber of casualties in spite of all the evidence provided by the security agencies includingphotographs and videosIn the light of the foregoing, we appeal to all Nigerians to condemn the violence, and support the peace loving people to embrace the spirit of brotherhood and peaceful and harmonious coexistence.“The Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government, humanitarianorganisations and other spirited individuals to come to the aid of the victims so as to provide relief and succor and to help them to quickly recover from the shocks and traumaThe State and Federal Governments to enhance security vigilance so as to guarantee the lives and safety of all Nigerians in every nuke and cranny of the nation.Fulani pastoralists in the affected areas and throughout the State to remain peaceful and to continue to have faith in the capacity of Government to address their plight.Ladies and gentlemen, we want to state it on record that this is the third time that these formsof crimes are committed by the Adara communities against the pastoralists, now becoming arecurring phenomenon since 2017. I believe every Nigerian will recall the brutal murder of about 100 innocent pastoralists, mostly children, women and the elderly by the Adara militant youths at Angwan Uku and environs in June 2017. That episode is yet to be investigated, and todate, nobody is held accountable. We believe these are the reasons for the continuous attacks, all directed at the total displacement and annihilation of the Fulani pastoralists and by extension, every Muslim in the Local Government. This tendency must be addressed now.Finally, we recognize the effort of the security agencies in rescuing some of the victims, buthasten to add that their intervene came too late after the brutal murder of many. Again, theKaduna State Government, contrary to the previous practice of shielding information and denying the occurrence of similar type of violence, have come out openly to condemn the violence and initiate processes through which the carnage was contained. We urge and appeal for more efforts in this direction, as well as the strengthening of early response to halt such forms of massacres in the future.The leaders of the groups include Alhaji Haruna Usman Tugga Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Engr Saleh Hassan, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Fulani  Socio Cultural Association, Ahmad Mairiga Yandeh Mobgal Fulani Development Association (MOFDA), Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDA) and Hauwa Umar Aliyu Birniwa, Fulbe Global Development Initiative

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