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Bandits, herdsmen kill 50, burn 254 houses, 7 churches in Kaduna south, monarch claims

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The Paramount Ruler of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna State, Agwatyap Dominic Gambo Yahaya, has called on Governor Nasir El-Rufai to come to the aid of his kingdom and the entire Kaduna South, following incessant attacks and killings by armed herdsmen and bandits.

The monarch who raised the alarm after another attack on Sunday that left about seven people dead, said in the last two months, not less than 50 people have been killed, 254 houses destroyed, with 7 churches burnt in Atyap Chiefdom by Fulani militia and bandits.

In a statement on Tuesday made available to Ripples Nigeria, the Agwatyap explained that the “unrestrained violence unleashed on poor, defenceless, innocent farmers of Atyap land had reached a sorry state that no farmer can venture out to the farmland, as the chances of returning home alive were very slim.”

The traditional ruler noted that he found the recurring attacks most distressful and disturbing, as the alleged killers were known to have lived among the communities, as they always called the victims out by their names, to notify them of their mission to kill before committing the dastardly acts on the helpless farmers.

“What is going on in Atyap Chiefdom, in Zangin Kataf and in Southern Kaduna is becoming worrisome and alarming.

READ ALSO: Bandits attack Zamfara communities, set ablaze Assembly speaker’s house

“I have kept faith with the peace efforts embarked on by all the communities in the chiefdom, aimed at enthroning sustainable peace in the land by consistently restraining the youth from taking the laws into their hands in any form of reactions or reprisal, else, the situation could have escalated beyond control.

“But the recurring killings and destruction of property has reached an extreme height of provocation almost beyond control.

“It is sad that the peace processes has not yielded its desired result, and we now call on the governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to step in.

“On Saturday, 11th September, 2021, unknown gunmen attacked again, killing Reverend Silas Ali within the vicinity of Zango Urban settlement in Atyap Chiefdom.

“The following day, Sunday 12th September, suspected herdsmen invaded the community of Apyiah Ajiim, few hundred metres from the spot of Saturday’s attack, killing 12 people, in another round of recurring attacks on the Atyap community. The victims included: six women (two heavily pregnant), three men and three children.

“This occurred after the communities of Gora Gida, Wawa Rafi, Warkan, Manyie-Aywie, Ahtak- Kanai, Magata, Magauri, Matyei, Abuyab, Magamia, Makarau, Mayayit, Manchong, Ma’door and a host of other communities were serially attacked, where no fewer than 50 villagers were massacred, 254 homes and 7 churches burnt in an unrestrained violence unleashed on poor, defenceless, innocent farmers of Atyap land.”

He appealed to the federal and the state governments to come to the aid of the homeless peasants, noting that no fewer than 15,000 of them are now in lnternally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camps.

He also called on security agents to adopt extreme measures towards containing the unwarranted and unprovoked orgy of killings.

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