Army Commander, Police Commisioner relocate to Southern Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government on Monday announced that the Garrison Commander of the 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and the state’s Commissioner of Police have relocated to the southern part of the state.

This is to enable Brigadier-General Ismaila Isa and CP Agyole Abeh coordinate a determined response to renewed attacks by armed bandits on communities in Kaura and Jema’a local government areas.

The situation has been brought under control by this afternoon, but security operations continue.

Stop spreading false stories and images of attacks, Kaduna State Security Council warns

The Kaduna State Security Council today reviewed the situation in three local government areas that are under curfew. The council noted that the security agencies have taken actions that are preventing attacks, and stabilising the situation in Jema’a, Kaura and Zangon-Kataf local government areas.

The council welcomes the efforts of the security agencies in thwarting attacks and helping to foster a growing sense of safety. However, the council also received reports of a spike in false stories of attacks and killings. These appear tailored to promote panic within communities, create fear and provoke a spiral of reprisals and vengeance.

The Kaduna State Security Council warns that anyone spreading false stories and images of attacks is liable to be prosecuted. If any individual or community is attacked, the correct and lawful procedure is to report to traditional rulers and the police, who have the statutory duty to record the incident, investigate and ascertain its veracity and take steps to establish the identity of victim and perpetrator, amongst others.

The Southern Kaduna killings By Editorial Board, Guardian Newspaper

Tragic as the horrendous killings of indigenes by so-called herdsmen in the southern part of Kaduna State have been, the indifference and prevarication of state actors at both state and federal levels, who exhibited criminal negligence instead of being proactive in halting the carnage is morally wrong and despicable.Now, fear and distrust reign and a whole race of people is feeling let down by a state in which the people are supposed to have a stake. Nigeria can and should do better.

The poor approach to the crisis was earlier sign-posted by the alleged payment of some ransom to the herdsmen by the Kaduna State government under the leadership of Nasir El-Rufai. Indeed, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) had demanded to know the identity of the Fulani herdsmen to whom ransom was being paid and the amount involved. In response, the government has claimed that it was only implementing aspects of the recommendations made to the previous government of the late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa by a committee on the same crisis. That committee recommended compensation for cattle killed during the post-2011 election crisis in the same area. Meaning the El-Rufai government’s claim to a solution is actually an exacerbation of the problem.

Christmas: More troops, operatives deployed to Kaduna

…KDSG relaxes curfew

More troops have been deployed to Kaduna State ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations just as the 24-hour curfew imposed in the three Local Government Areas of Jema’a, Kaura and Zangon Kataf has been relaxed.

The development was after credible intelligence at the disposal of security agencies suggests apossible threat to peace and urgent need to nip it in the bud and the earlier imposition of 24-hour curfew in three local government areas of the state, namely, Jema’a, Kaura and Zangon Kataf.

Samuel Aruwan, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s spokesman disclosed this in a statement.

Aruwan said:

Kaduna State imposes 24-hour curfew in 3 LGAs of Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a

The Kaduna State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in three local government areas of the state and banned public procession.

The councils affected are Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a.

A statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, said the decision to impose the curfew was taken by the Kaduna State Security Council after an emergency meeting on Wednesday.

The Security Council, the statement added, said it is in possession of credible intelligence suggesting risks to lives and property in the affected councils.

The statement equally said security agencies have been directed to arrest and prosecute any individual or groups that violate the curfew order, using the best practices in enforcing the directives.

SEMA says 2,000 persons displaced by Kaduna villages’ attack

Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), on Tuesday said it had registered 2,000 persons displaced by the attack on three villages in Kaura Local Government Area. 

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Dogo Makama told Journalists in Kaduna that the agency had assessed the needs of those affected and would soon offer assistance to them.