The Paramount Ruler of Attakar Kingdom, the Agwam Takad I, Chief Tobias Nkom Wada (centre) flanked by the National President of Attakar Community Development Association (ACDA), Ishaya K. Samaila (left) at the press conference
Following the last week attack on Attakar Community in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, death toll has risen to about 100, with 500 houses destroyed and over 10,000 persons displaced.
Property and items estimated to be around 500 million naira were also destroyed. Our correspondent was told in an email message from a community member who witnessed most of the killings, while equally on the run. He also sent DailyPost a statement issued by the National President of Attakar Community Development Association (ACDA), Ishaya K. Samaila at a press conference held at Fadan Attakar.
According to our source who would prefer that his identity remains hidden, the paramount ruler of Attakar Kingdom, the Agwam Takad I, Chief Tobias Nkom Wada expressed disappointment over the poor representation of the community by lawmakers in the National Assembly representing the area, for having failed to raise a motion to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of the Attakar people since Fulani gunmen started their war campaign against the community in March this year.
Our local source had reported that during a press conference organized to address the issue, Samila revealed that, “on the 19th and 20th March this year, Stephen Aboye was killed at Mafan and Markus Aba was shot dead by suspected Fulani gunmen. On the 21st March 2013, Attakar villages on the Plateau State axis named Kirim, Danti, Mayit, Zadian, Dajak, Tinga Mogwai and Durag were invaded, leaving 14 people dead, while 247 houses were burnt, including four churches and two schools. Personal items worth about 150million naira were destroyed in that attack.
“On the 30th March Mafan, Muyit and Zilan were again attacked in the afternoon, being the Esther eve. A total of 32 people were killed. Two churches and two primary schools and the entire villages were razed down.
“Then, on 13th May, in Zangan District, 13 people were killed in a night-raid by suspected Fulani armed men. 82 houses were destroyed, including a church and a primary school, forcing 3,000 people to seek refuge in Zangan Secondary School.
“On 2nd September, Adu Village in the same Zangan District was attacked. In that attack, a family of four was completely wiped out, bringing the death toll otonine’’.
He further narrated that “the attacks were carried out with the motive of completely eliminating the villages as children and women were not spared. The attacks seemed to be directed at taking over our lands, because attempts by the displaced persons were met with further attacks in which four people were killed at Mayit and Tela communities. Fulanis have now settled in Mayit and other villages after displacing the Attakar people”
We were told that Chief Tobias had cried out thus; “we are not impressed with our representatives at the state and National Assemblies. We acknowledge their private donations and concerns, but our displaced persons cannot keep feeding from such gestures alone. We expect them to raise a serious motion calling on relevant authorities to intervene so that, we can have permanent security and sustainable way of feeding our displaced persons”.
Comments