Kagoro Chiefdom cancels celebration over Killings

It’s Somber New Year day in Kagoro chiefdom of Kaduna state where 38 persons were killed by armed Terrorists in Sokwong and melagwu communities on the 18th December 2022.

As a result of the attack, the chiefdom canceled its famous Kagoro day Festival.

They however held a joint prayer session to seek the intervention of God.

Christians and Muslims living in Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura local government hold a joint prayer session to seek the intervention of God over the killings in their land.

While others around the globe are celebrating the new year, the people of this chiefdom are still mourning and counting their loses.

The region seems to be under a dark cloud.

The recent attacks and sacking of their communities by ruthless terrorists are still fresh in their minds.

This led to the cancellation of the Kagoro day Festival which the region is well known for.

A number of security vans could be seen carrying out patrols.

Young men could also be seen carrying Dane guns probably for self defence.

[this is the field where the Kagoro festival takes place, Usually it should be buzzing with activities by people from within and outside Kaduna but it has been deserted.

The people are still mourning their loved ones]

Instead of the festival, both Christian and Muslim faithful gather to pray.

In a quest to seek lasting solutions to the conflicts and ensure sustainable peace, civil society organization, the global peace Foundation engaged the locals, in order to address some barriers that hinder tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

They also commiserated with the chief who discouraged citizens from engaging in reprisal attacks that can worsen the security situation.

While they continue with prayers and peace talks, Kagoro people are pleading with the government to deploy more troops to their region.

Several of them say they now find it difficult to sleep for fear of another attack by these ruthless bandits.

Southern Kaduna After killing 40, terrorists say they are not yet done

Terrorists that attacked two communities in Southern Kaduna, and killed 40 persons, a week to Christmas day, said they were not yet done, vowing to strike again to kill more people in the area.

Survivors of the December 18, 2022 attack on Malagum 1 and Sokong communities in Southern Kaduna on Friday gave a horrific details on how terrorists murdered 40 villagers on the fateful day.

However, they hinted that despite the attacks, the communities were still being threatened with calls from the attackers that they would strike again.

Some of the survivors gave the hints and bared their minds when a delegation of Gideon and Funmi-Para-Malla Peace Foundation, a non-profit organization donated relief materials, including 100 blankets, 10 bags of rice, 10 bags of beans, 20 bags of salt and two bags of maize to the communities.

The leader of the delegation, Rev Gideon Para-Mallam said it is even more frightening that one of the survivors told him that at about 9:5am on Friday, he received a phone call from those who perpetrated the violence telling them that they were not done with them yet.

He explained that the attackers were using cell-phones of the victims they killed to call their loved ones and threaten them that they were coming again to attack.

One of the survivors, Nathan Yashim, who narrated his ordeal, disclosed that his father, mother and step brother were butchered and set ablaze like animals during the attack.

Yashim, who could not hold back his tears, said his dreams in life have been shattered.

He said, “Those who perpetuated the act on our communities are criminal Fulanis. For two hours, the attackers were operating without a single security man coming to rescue us.

“I am one of the biggest farmers in this community, but I lost everything and I don’t know how to start life again,” Yashim said.

Earlier, during a town-hall meeting at Kagoro, the President of the Kagoro Development Association, Prof. Jalz Gambo, debunked the impression that what took place at Malagum 1 and Sokong communities was a communal clash.

He said the two communities were attacked while the residents were going about their normal businesses.

Another resident, Joseph Utuk, who narrowly escaped the attack in Sokong community accused the military of being complacent in the attacks that took place.

“In the morning, we saw bullet shells of the Nigerian Army on our houses and this attack was carried out successfully for two hours without any help from the military who were just 30 meters away from our community.

“After the attack in our community alone where nine people were killed on December 18, the attackers came back again the following evening but they were repelled by the military”, Utuk said.

Para-Mallam said, “What happened in Malagum 1 and Sokong communities are horrific, unacceptable and a demonstration of inhumanity to man.

“Visits like this to the traumatized community helps to throw more lights to the wider global community to know what is really happening in Southern Kaduna.

“I am using this opportunity to call on the Nigerian military and the government to know that the communities that have been attacked are still traumatized with threat and phone calls.

“As we listen to the stories, the attackers set their houses on fire with women and children inside. We appeal to the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai to put all necessary measures in place and protect the Southern Kaduna communities and the people.”