Northern leaders demand probe into alleged killing of 11 Fulani youths in Kaduna by soldiers

A chorus of condemnation has emerged from Kaduna State, with a group of prominent Northern leaders demanding a thorough investigation into the alleged killing of 11 Fulani youths in the Tilde-Fulbe community.

They were said to have been killed by soldiers.

The incident, reported to have occurred in the Kachia Local Government Area, has sparked outrage and calls for justice.

The leaders, who made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday, include Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Professor Massoud Omar, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, Professor Muhammad Mustapha Gwadabe, and Professor Tanimu Abubakar.

Others are Dr Kabir S.Chafe,Mallam Babayola M. Tuongo, Professor Abdullahi Musa Ashafa, By Ibrahim Hassan

The statement reads: ‘’We, the undersigned, in the exercise of our constitutional rights and in good conscience as concerned and dutiful Nigerian citizens, hereby add our collective voice to an appeal made for intervention and investigation into the murder of 11 Fulani youths by soldiers in Tilde Fulbe at Ladugga Grazing Reserve, Kachia Local Government.

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‘’The appeal was made by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, to the President, president of the Senate, speaker of the House of Representatives, the governor of Kaduna State and the Northern Governors Forum.

“Our support for the appeal is based on the conviction that in the context of the current devastating insecurity and economic hardships, failure to investigate such grave allegations of willful murder of innocent citizens by agents of the state will only further deepen the distrust for state institutions, sever the bond between government and people and jeopardize the security-community relations.”

The statement further read, “In its Thursday, January 11, 2024 edition, Daily Trust reported the discovery of eleven dead bodies of Fulani youths of the Tilde Fulbe community alleged to have been murdered in cold blood by elements of the Nigerian military, from the Nigerian School of Artillery, NASA, and the Nigerian Navy Armament Technology School at the Ladugga grazing reserve.

‘’The names of the eleven victims were given as Safiyanu Adamu, Abdulkadir Idris, Akilu Abdullahi, Ibrahim Abubakar, Magaji Umar, Saidu Saleh, Abdulaziz Yusuf and Nura Magaji.

‘’The alleged gruesome murder of these young men came barely one month after the killing of 80 people who were celebrating the Eid el Maulud at Tudun Biri village of Igabi local government area of Kaduna state, through aerial bombardment by the Nigerian army.

‘’The military authorities later claimed the incident was ‘an accident’. Furthermore, the murder of the eleven Fulani youths came in spite of the caution and calls for restraints by eminent Nigerians after the Tudun Biri tragedy.’’

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