Under the auspices of the Atyap Community Development Association, ACDA, the residents of Southern Kaduna have once more expressed their profound concern regarding the ongoing attacks and killings in Atyapland in Kaduna State's Zangon Kataff Local Government Area.
Additionally, they criticized the most recent security report delivered by the local sector commander of Operation Safe Haven.
Samuel Achi, the president of ACDA, claimed during a briefing in Samaru Kataf yesterday that the ongoing attacks on his people had resulted in the deaths of numerous kinmen and women, and that even children had not been spared by the alleged murderous herdsmen.
He said: "It is with regret that we address Nigerians and the international community on the persistent and recurrent attacks and killings in some communities of Atyapland in Zangon Kataf Local Government of Kaduna State by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen, who have lived peacefully alongside our communities for decades but have now embarked on a mission to drive them off their lands.
It is regretful to report for the record that defenseless villages in Atyapland have been the target of targeted killings since 2017 before being repeatedly attacked by alleged armed Fulani herdsmen in 2020.
Following renewed attacks in Ungwan Wakili, Lagson, Atakjei, and Runji, where 70 people were killed, including a five-year-old boy who was beheaded, Atyapland has recently dominated the news for the wrong reasons.
Twenty villages have been looted, 18 villages have burned down, 518 people have been slain, and thousands of victims have sought safety in numerous towns since 2017."The military soldiers sent to the region to offer security are making things worse. Rather than doing their primary task of protecting the lives and property of By siding with the alleged herdsmen, the communities are selective.
This is clear from the security report for the first quarter of 2023 that Brigadier General Timothy Opurum, Sector Commander of Operation Safe Haven in Southern Kaduna, provided to the Kaduna State government.
"In his doctored submission, the sector commander provided an unbalanced, lopsided report and was very sparing with facts, which prompted the governor to note with concern the ongoing failure of the traditional and community leaders in Zangon Kataf chiefdom to stop the mayhem and youths' resort to self-help.
"We thus correct the record on some of the points he addressed in order to clear up any misunderstandings and to put things in the proper context.
"The Sector Commander, Brig Gen. Opurum, purposefully failed, neglected, and refused to emphasize the traditional council in Atyap land's contributions to keeping peace in the chiefdom, despite the fact that he and other security agencies in the region are aware of these facts.
The traditional council and other local leaders have so far played a beneficial role in keeping disputes in check, but this was not made clear in the report.
These contributions include visiting all of the homes of those who have been attacked or killed in Atyap land, as well as sponsoring conferences and workshops on peaceful coexistence for Atyap, Hausa, and Fulani youth, women, and security personnel in Atyap land with the Kaduna government. There are many peace activists present, including Dr. Salim Musa, the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, and Barr. Pricilla Ankut, to name a few.
Other initiatives include working with the Kaduna State Peace Commission on a number of peace advocacy missions to Atyap, Hausa, and Fulani youth and women groups in Atyap land, ensuring the permanent removal of all roadblocks by youth in Atyap land; establishing and funding the Atyap Chiefdom Peace, Security, and Partnership Committee, which is made up of Atyap, Hausa, and Fulani youth and women; and providing logistical and human support to Operation Safe
"In fact, the governor of Kaduna State had praised the Agwatyap for these courageous and useful steps towards sustaining peace in Atyap country on numerous occasions. After the sector commander's report, we were shocked to hear his comment.
"Brig. Gen. Opurum purposefully refused to acknowledge and state the known facts that the brutal attacks on mostly defenseless and innocent women and children in Atyap villages over the last three years have been caused by the influx of many dangerous lawless suspected Fulani terrorists into Zangon Kataf Urban Hausa settlement and their attendant criminal activities," according to the report.
Security organizations in our Atyap region are aware that the majority of attacks against our villages and citizens are organized and prepared by these alleged Fulani terrorists in Urban Hausa settlement Zangon Kataf.