Death Toll Rises to 39 in Kaduna Fresh Attacks

•Gunmen attack two communities, raze houses

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The death toll in the recent attack on Malagum 1 and Sokwong communities of Kagoro Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have risen to 39 following the discovery of 11 more corpses.

Earlier reports had put the number of deaths at 28, with several people reportedly missing.

But a source in the area said, the 11 corpses were discovered in bushes while others died of injuries sustained.

It was learnt that among those killed, were a man, his wife and son, while several others said to be missing and many houses reportedly burnt.

A community leader in the area told THISDAY in a telephone chat that the attack occurred on Sunday at about 11pm and lasted for over an hour, noting that, there was serious tension in the communities as angry youths were insisting that they be allowed to go into the bushes to search for those missing.

The community leader, who pleaded anonymity anonymity, said he earlier counted eight corpses, when he visited Malagun 1 in the morning.

“I personally saw eight corpses myself this morning in Malagun 1. I also counted up to six burnt houses before some youths started to protest and I left immediately, because I didn’t want to be caught in any fracas.

“But the report that is reaching me now is that 21 corpses were picked in Malagun 1, some people are still missing. Nobody knows where they are. It is possible that they could have run to some other houses or to the bushes for safety.

“Women were crying following the killing of their children or husbands. I know somebody whose father, mother and brother were killed,” he said, adding that the police and operatives of the joint task force had been deployed to the affected places.

According to agency reports, the Chairman of Kaura LGA, Mathias Siman, confirmed the incident but could only confirm the killing of seven people in Sokwong community.

The attacks came barely five days after three people were killed in a similar manner in Malagum 1.

The council chairman said almost all the houses in Sokwong Community were completely razed down by the terrorist, adding that he was yet to confirm the killings in Malagum 1.

He called on residents of the areas to remain calm as security agencies were being deployed to carry out investigation in to the attacks.

Speaker of Kaura I Legislative Council, Atuk Stephen, also confirmed that 22 people were killed, while eight were said to have been killed in Sokwong.

Atuk, however, described the killings as barbaric and called on the federal government and security agencies to redouble their efforts in curtailing renewed killings in the area

Meanwhile the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has condemned the killings.

State chairman of the association, Joseph Hayab, described the action as barbaric and a strategy to scare the people from exercising the rights, and therefore urged the government to ensure that those who committed the evil must be fished out and brought to justice.

The statement stated: “The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State Chapter is mourning the death of over 28 innocent defenceless people of the Mallagum community in the Kagoro area who were brutally slaughtered last night.

“This massacre has further proven that the killers of the Southern Kaduna people have not yet been neutralised as claimed. The federal government and the security agencies must not let the killers escape. Those who committed this evil must be fished out, arrested, and brought to face justice.

“These renewed killings may be a strategy to scare the people from exercising their rights and to further increase fear and impoverish them,” he said, condemning the act in the strongest terms, even as he appealed for calm, calling on the government and security to rise to the duty of protecting lives and property.