Save Us From Atyap Youths, They Are Killing Herdsmen, Cattle Herders’ Union Begs Nigerian Army, Others
Cattle Herders’ Union Begs Nigerian Army, Others says Save Us From Atyap Youths, They Are Killing Herdsmen
The Kaduna State branch of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), the umbrella body for herders in Nigeria, has called for help over the alleged killing of their members and cattle.
The group called on the government and security agencies to come to their aid, alleging that Atyap youths in Southern Kaduna have been killing them and their cattle in what it described as coordinated attacks, Vanguard reports.
Atyap people are an ethnic group predominantly found in Zangon-Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a local government areas of Christian dominated Southern Kaduna.
Chairman of MACBAN in the state, Alhaji Haruna Usman Tugga, in a statement, said attacks against herders have been going on unchecked in Zango–Kataf Atyap (Kataf) Chiefdom.
“However, that does not mean that there are no incidents and reports of various inhumanities deployed against our people are not happening in other sections of Southern Kaduna,” he added.
“Sadly, from the middle of last year to the present day, those working against peace began to ignite violent atrocities on the Fulani Pastoralists, which has now led to the death of many people, particularly in Atyap (Kataf) Chiefdom of Zango-Kataf and Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura local government areas.”
Describing the said attacks as premeditated and coordinated, Tugga identified them as the source of violence in the area.
Citing examples of such attacks, Tugga said, “On 24th of January, 2022, at Kizaga Village in Kauru Local Government Area, two (2) 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 the person of (Ya’u Abubakar – 20 years old) while the remains of Adamu Usman Thirty (30 years old) were 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 boy, Zakari Laulo, who was rearing his cows and lynched him to death.
“On 22nd January, 2022, 8 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, the Kagoro youths advanced forward to attack two innocent youths, Abubakar Musa and Adamu Para were severely injured and were treated at Kafanchan General Hospital.
“Primitively, 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, 16 cows belonging to Alhaji Momarwa were shot dead at Tson-jei village by the same Kagoro youths. The whereabouts of 22 cows are yet to be known. On 2nd February, 2022, twelve (12) cows were discovered killed in the village of Tson-jei belonging to Alhaji Momarwa.”
He, however, appealed to fellow herders to be calm and law-abiding and called on “Kaduna State Government and security agencies to rise up to their constitutional responsibilities by investigating and fishing out the perpetrators of these crimes against the citizens.”
Earlier, during a press conference, Chairman of the Atyap Community Development Association, Daniel Achie, said Fulani terrorists were responsible for the violence being witnessed on Atyap land.
Achie also called on security forces to find those killing his people and bring them to justice.
He said, “The unfortunate thing is that at any time there is a peace meeting with either government officials, representatives of Fulani organisations or the NGOs to try and 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 ending the killings, to protect the lives and properties of the citizens.
“Members of the Press would 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.”
Also listing the attacks on his people, Achie said, “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 people 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 5 lives were lost and 8 houses burned down too, even in the presence of the security checkpoints in Bakin Kogi and Ashaawuce, both less than a kilometre from the scene, some people from the area are still missing and unaccounted for.
“This again has aggravated the humanitarian crisis in the land, thereby making life unbearable to the peace-loving citizens of Atyap land.”
Achie said the “entire Atyap nation has resolved that not an inch of our land will be taken for whatsoever purpose by the enemies of peace and good neighbourliness in our community.”
“From what is transpiring, it has become obvious that the Fulani Terrorist Militias Forces and their sponsors feel they can take over Atyap despite the presence of government,” he added.
Cattle Herders
