Kaduna killings: Death toll rises to 100, say villagers Kaduna killings: Death toll rises to 100, say villagers

The Atakar Community Development Association in Zandang area of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State said the renewed hostilities in the area had so far claimed 100 lives.

The attack last Saturday had claimed over 15 lives rendered many villagers homeless after their houses were burnt by their attackers.

The police in the state, however, said 11 persons lost their lives in the attack carried out by  some unknown gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Aminu Lawan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, who confirmed  the incident had said, “It is true that Zankang was attacked this morning. The number of those killed are 11. Our men are already there. You know that place is hilly and bushy. But they are combing the hills, and we expect them to come out with some results.”

However, the national President of the ACDA,  Ishaya Samaila, while addressing a press conference on Wednesday at Fadan Attakar, said the  death toll had risen from 15 to 100.

He noted that 500 houses were destroyed and over 10,000 residents displaced.

Samaila said property, including  foodstuffs and other  household items worth N500m were destroyed.

Also, the paramount  ruler of the Attakar Chiefdom, Chief Tobias Nkom-Wada, expressed concern over the inability of both the National and state Assembly members from the area to draw the attention of the Federal Government  to the plight of the Attakar people.

He said, “We are not impressed with our representatives at the state and the national assemblies. We acknowledge their private donations but our displaced persons cannot continue feeding on such gestures alone. We expect them to raise a serious motion calling on relevant authorities to intervene so that, we can have permanent security and sustainable way of feeding our displaced persons.”

Samaila, while narrating  the ordeals of the people, noted that in March alone, over 32 people were  killed “while 247 houses were burnt, including four churches and two schools and personal items worth about N150m were destroyed in that attack.”

He added that the last Saturday attack that left over 15 people dead were planned in such a way to eliminate the entire residents of the area.

“The mode of the attacks was made in such a way as to completely eliminate the villages as children and women were not spared. The attacks seems to be directed at taking over our lands,” he said.

He said despite the attacks, the Attakar people had remained peaceful and law abiding and still allow Fulani herdsmen to freely graze their cattle.