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.

Kaduna villages attack: Mass burial for victims

The remains of about 150 Southern Kaduna natives, were, yesterday, buried in a mass grave in Unguwant Gata, Maroa Chiefdom of Karua Local Government Area of the state, according to a local chief from the area.

Sankwai, Tekum and Unguwan Gata villages in Maroa Chiefdom were, Saturday, invaded by what villagers said were Fulani gunmen, killing no fewer than 200 natives and burning the three villages, after plundering them.