Women Protest against Killings in Southern Kaduna Communities
John Shiklam in Kaduna
Hundreds of women from communities in the southern part of Kaduna State yesterday protested against the killings in their communities.
The protesting women urged the government to fish out the perpetrators of the ‘inhuman act’ and bring them to justice.
In the past three days, no fewer than 39 people have been killed by suspected herdsmen in three communities in Zangon Kataf, Kaura and Kauru Local Government Areas of the state.
Last Sunday, gunmen invaded Kukum-Daji village in Kaura LGA at about 10p.m. and open fire on the villagers, mostly young people, who were celebrating a wedding, killing 24 people with 22 others seriously injured.
Another attack took place last Monday in Gora, Zangon Kataf LGA, where 10 people were killed, while last Wednesday also, five people were killed in the attack in Kizachi community, Kauru LGA.Zangon Kataf and Kauru LGAs had been under 24 curfew since June 11, 2020.
The protesting women, most of who were dressed in black while others were half naked, condemned the killings and wanton destructions of their property by the invaders as well as the failure of the state and the federal governments to stop the killings.
The women also wept profusely over the killings, as they marched to the palace of the Agwam Atyap (the traditional ruler of Atyap people) to expressed their anger over the massacres.
The women lamented that their communities were no longer safe as herdsmen continued to unleashed mayhem on them without being apprehended by security agencies.
According to them, “Our communities are under siege by herdsmen and our government is not doing anything to protect us.
“Our husbands, children and relations are being slaughtered like rams on a daily basis, and this government is just watching. Our lives don’t matter to this government.
“We can’t go to our farms, we can’t go to the markets, and we are not safe even in our homes. So where do we run?”
The women lamented that they have become refugees in their land, saying many of the villagers were moving to IDP camps for safety.
They appealed to the government to live up to its responsibility by protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians.
The women also called for the intervention of the international community to help in stopping the killings.
