While the herders alleged that Atyap youths in Southern Kaduna were bent on exterminating the Fulani and their cattle in the area, leaders of the Atyap communities in the state claimed the Fulani militia were out to violently take over their land.
Chairman of the Atyap Community Development Association, ACDA, Daniel Achie, at a briefing among others, claimed the on-going carnage of killings, maiming, destruction and displacement of communities were being perpetrated on the Atyap land by forces of the Fulani terrorist militia.
The unfortunate thing is that at any time there is a peace meeting with either government officials, representatives of Fulani organizations or the NGOs try to advance the peace process, the next will be an attack on the land by the Fulani terrorist militias, who subsequently vanish without any trace of their whereabouts.
“The ability of the attacking terrorists to disappear without trace appears surprising.
“We call on the security forces to step up and show commitment to end the killings, to protect the lives and properties of the citizens.
“Recall that it was in this hall I categorically stated that we are better up staying peacefully together than fighting and killing ourselves over ancestral heritage.
“Hence the escalating violence against the Atyap communities continues to beat human imagination.
“With the deliberate perpetuation of violence against the Atyap Chiefdom and communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the lives of citizens have been reduced to nothing in the land, and the lives and properties of our people are being obliterated at will by those that feel they are protected and can do whatever they want with human lives and go free.
“After my last Press release and update on the happenings in Atyap land on 17/07/2021, many lives and innumerable properties have been destroyed in villages like Abuyab, Mazaki, Mawakili, Takjei, Matache, Matagama, Gora Gan, Kurmin Masara and Atisa.
“On Sunday 30th January 2022, 11 persons were brutally murdered by Fulani terrorist militia forces, many were wounded, over 30 houses burned and over 100 people displaced.
“Again, on Monday 31st January 2022, Atisa village in (Kurmin Masara) was attacked and five lives lost and eight houses burned down too.
“Even in the presence of the security check points in Bakin Kogi and Ashaawuce both less than a kilometer from the scene, some people from the area are still missing and unaccounted for.”
Chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Haruna Tugga, in a statement, said among others, recalled that on 24th of January, 2022, at Kizaga Village in Kauru Local Government Area, two Fulani Herders were attacked by some armed Kataf youth from Kurmin- Masara village of Zango-Kataf Local Government Area.
“They were killed instantly and one was beheaded in person of Ya’u Abubakar, 20 years old, while the remains of Adamu Usman, 30 years old was later found within the area.
“They also advanced to the houses of the Fulanis and burnt down several houses to ashes while also killing a one year old baby boy (Bilal Bukar) who was in one of the burnt houses.
“On 29th January, 2022, in Gankon village of Gora District, armed Atyap (Kataf) youths attacked a 19 year old Zakari Laulo who was rearing his cows and lynched him to death.
“On 22nd January, 2022, eight Cows of Alhaji Momarwa died after drinking poisoned water in the village of Zunuruk in Jema’a Local Government Area respectively.
On the 25th January, 2022, a young and innocent Aminu Dahiru was attacked and killed instantly in the same village of Zunuruk. After killing him they attacked 41 cows.
“On the same 25th January, two innocent youths; Abubakar Musa and Adamu Para were severely injured and they were treated at Kafanchan General Hospital.
“On 31st January, 2022, one Aminu Ahmad, a young family man went to supervise his cattle on the hills of Kagoro but went missing within the axis of Tson-Jei and Kukum Gida in Kagoro Chiefdom.
“On 1st February, 2022, 22 cows belonging to Alhaji Momarwa were shot dead at Tson-jei village by the same Kagoro youths and the whereabouts of 22 cows are yet to be known. On 2nd February, 2022, 12 cows were discovered killed in the village of Tson-jei belonging to Alhaji Momarwa.”
