• El-Rufai Condemns Politicization of Killings
• Governor Accused of Lying and Instigating Crisis

The corpses of 66 residents of Kaduna state were allegedly recovered on the eve of the recently postponed Presidential and National Assembly elections, on Friday the 15th of February.

The killings were reportedly orchestrated by gunmen in the Kajuru Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State and among the dead were 22 children and 12 women.

In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwan, on Friday, apart from the 66 fatalities recorded, 4 persons said to have sustained injuries are currently receiving treatment.

“Security agencies today reported the recovery of 66 bodies that were killed in attacks by criminal elements on various dispersed hamlets in the Maro Gida and Iri axis of Kajuru LGA. The settlements affected include Ruga Bahago, Ruga Daku, Ruga Ori, Ruga Haruna, Ruga Yukka Abubakar, Ruga Duni Kadiri, Ruga Shewuka and Ruga Shuaibu Yau.

“Among the victims were 22 children and 12 women. Four wounded persons rescued by the security agencies are now receiving medical attention,” the statement read.

Condemning the attacks, the governor called on the people of Kaduna State to be vigilant and hand over grievances to the appropriate security agencies.

“Government condemns the attacks and commiserates with the families of the victims. Security agencies have been deployed to the area and arrests have been made. Government urges community, traditional and religious leaders in the area to encourage residents to avoid any reprisal attacks and to leave the matter in the hands of the security and law enforcement agencies. The killings are being investigated and residents are assured that indicted persons will be prosecuted.”

However, following the announcement, several agencies and organisations have come forward to accuse the governor of instigating a crisis, by announcing the killings on the eve of the election when it allegedly occurred several days before.

The Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, in its own statement, said: “We are aware that the incident happened in the late hours of Sunday 10 February to February 12, 2019, at about 1am at Gindin Gada in the Maro Ward of Kajuru Local Government, Kaduna State, where unidentified hoodlums went into the village and killed about 11 people in their sleep.

“The incident led to reprisals. Two of the suspects were said to have been apprehended and handed over to the Divisional Police Officer in the area. It was in the afternoon of the said date of the attack (as contained in the press statement) that the District Head of Kufana, Mr Titus Dauda, and four of his local chiefs were released after their invitation by the Department of State Services.

“We see this as an illogical intentional, premeditated attempt at stirring violence in the state for whatever expected gains. The incidence of raising false alarm by the Kaduna State Government should make Nigerians realize that some of our leaders are also guilty of hate speech and that makes them major actors in the game that has denied us peace and has claimed the lives of our love ones.’’

Other supporters of the claim put forward by CAN include the National Emergency Managemaant Agency (NEMA) and the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU).

In his response, Governor el-Rufai referred to the dismissals as “despicable,” saying: “The Kaduna State Government notes the concerted and apparently coordinated efforts by bigoted busy bodies to deny the Kajuru killings, or to minimise the casualty figures, and the specious arguments being deployed in this despicable quest.”

“The Kaduna State Government condemns in the strongest terms attempts to politicise the killings. Only irresponsible and insensitive people can recklessly dismiss the deaths of members of a community with whom they have no contact. Private individuals and unelected actors cannot be allowed to reduce weighty matters of state security to the province of their limited networks, inexperienced lenses and narrow agendas,” his statement read