More soldiers have been deployed to southern Kaduna as six persons were killed by unknown gun men at Ungwan Mailafiya community on Christmas eve, a day after an attack on Nimdem community in same Jemaa local government left four people dead two days earlier.
And to contain the seeming escalation of attacks in the last few days, the Commander of Operation Safe Haven, has temporarily moved to Kafanchan to coordinate the operation, has confirmed that more assets are being deployed to the southern Kaduna area. The senior Special Assistant to governor Nasir El Rufai on media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan who confirmed the attack through a statement issued on Christmas day noted that the Kaduna state government is “saddened by the latest developments which amount to serious threats to the lives and safety of peace-loving citizens. According to him, ” the state government has been working with security agencies to fortify the general area, to deter escalation and reassure citizens of their safety. ”
Accordingly, the Commander of Operation Safe Haven, who has temporarily moved to Kafanchan to coordinate the operation, has confirmed that more assets are being deployed to the southern Kaduna area. Negative elements must not be allowed to undo all the hard work done to restore peace and security. Government commiserates with the victims and their families. All our communities are enjoined to stand together, and support the security agencies to thwart what looks like a predetermined plot to create anarchy around this period. This has clearly failed, and we enjoin all citizens to put hands together to deny the criminals any opportunity of succeeding in their evil plans.
“Citizens are encouraged to report any threat to peace, law and order within the Kaduna South Senatorial district to the officials of Operation Safe Haven, the special security task force in the area, on the following numbers:08021212139, 08149000091, 08090498333 and 08074633336 The government notes the commendable efforts of community leaders in the wake of the Nimdem attacks, and urges continued engagements to prevent escalation. Community leaders, including the clergy, traditional leaders and other critical stakeholders like community based associations must continue to work together to ensure that peace is upheld.
“These efforts of the community leaders reflect a deep desire for peace, which needs to be sustained in order to collectively deter those who wish to spread hostility and divide our communities. The government is assured that the security agencies will continue to pursue the criminal elements who perpetrated this act and their sponsors” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, the member representing Jema’a/ Sanga Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Shehu Nicholas Garba hàs condemned the attack in the community añd called on security agencies to quickly move in o nip the crisis in the bud. In a statement he issued in Kaduna, he said “In this attack, 4 persons were killed and 10 others were critically injured. The dead were buried the following day under the watch of the Security personnel. The wounded are currently being attended to at the Throneroom Hospital in Kafanchan while other severe cases have been referred to JUTH in Jos.
“While we were mourning the deaths at Nindem, at about 10pm on Christmas eve on Sunday, the security personnel received distress calls of another attack at Ungwan Mailafiya in Kwagiri District of Gwong Chiefdom. By daybreak on Christmas day, 6 persons have been confirmed killed, including a child of about six years old and many others injured. “These recent attacks defy all human logic as there appears to be no immediate trigger. That these attacks take place on the eve of Christmas is a demonstration of the total contempt of the perpetrators of the solemnity of this season.
“We had thought that the relative peace which had been witnessed over the past months, arising from efforts of well-meaning individuals and bodies, was going to translate into a permanent peace which our people desperately desire. Unfortunately, it appears that some persons or group are bent on perpetuating violence and turning our hitherto peaceful communities into a theatre of war for reasons not yet clear to all peace-loving people. “As a Representative of these communities and a human being, these incidents are painful and stand totally condemned. We will continue to promote the virtues of peace and harmonious co-existence amongst all our communities”.
He then appealed to security agencies and Governor Nasir El-Rufai to quickly investigate the latest incidents and bring the perpetrators to book this time around. “I am appealing to the Security Agencies to quickly investigate the latest incidents with a view to apprehending and bringing the perpetrators to Justice. “I am also appealing to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State,to ensure that these latest incidents do not go the way of similar previous incidents where the Perpetrators were never apprehended. There is no doubt that the impunity which has followed previous incidents has continued to embolden the Murderers whose agenda is yet to be unravelled.
“I am also calling on the state Government to complement our efforts in rendering assistance to the injured. “We are calling on all Nigerians and the International Community to take a special notice of the happenings and plight of our Communities which are daily being decimated by forces that the State has persistently failed to unearth”. He, however urged the affected communities to remain calm and avoid embarking on any form of violent reaction while expecting the security personnel to act.
Vanguard
