In the follow up of yesterday’s reported incident on the attack in the Kaduna community/village. The Nation said 17 people including a policeman, were reportedly killed in Zangon-Kataf communities in Southern Kaduna. The Nation learned that trouble started in the Zangon-Kataf area on Thursday when a young herder was tied to a tree and killed by some locals around Ungwan Juju.
They also learnt that the situation became compounded on Saturday afternoon following a misunderstanding between security operatives and some Fulani men at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili, which led to a Fulani man and a policeman being shot at a checkpoint.
Later that evening, a group of local youths, who went fishing, were attacked and one of them was said to have been killed with machetes by the retaliating herders.
A senior military source from the area told The Nation: “On Thursday last week, one Umar Sambo (a herder) was killed while returning from grazing his cattle around Ungwan Juju in Zangon Kataf LGA.
“When his brother, identified as Safiyanu, could not find him, he reported to the security agencies, who then launched a search operation. His body was finally discovered at Ungwan,” the source said.
He said the tense security situation became compounded on Saturday evening, when there was a clash between security operatives and some Fulani at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili, which led to the death of a Fulani man and a policeman
According to him, “Ungwan Wakili village of Atyap Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf LGA was attacked by unidentified persons around 8:40pm on Saturday, in an apparent reprisal following the killing of the herder.”
He said troops of Operation Safe Haven mobilized to the village to repel the attack, but about 16 to 17 persons were already killed, with seven persons wounded.
“Also worthy of note is that, after a policeman accidentally shot and injured a herder and a colleague at the checkpoint at Ungwan Wakili Junction, a mob action occurred in Ungwan Wakili.
“While the police evacuated the area, a crowd of locals and herders gathered at the scene, and in the confrontation that followed, one local was killed. Two motorcycles belonging to herders were burnt,” the security source explained.
The local government authorities have imposed a 24-hour curfew in the affected communities to prevent further breakdown of law and order.
It’s of the essence the Federal and State government help and bring peace to Southern Community of Kaduna State