Displaying items by tag: Kaduna

At least 13 people were killed on 26 February in clashes between Christians and Muslims in Kasuwan Magani community in Kaduna state, central Nigeria. Many houses and shops were burnt down. Twenty suspects have been arrested and extra police have been put on the streets to try to quell the violence. ‘The place is currently calm. I was in the village yesterday to implore the community and traditional leaders to direct the warring youths to sheath their swords,’ said the state police commissioner. ‘We don't want to jump to conclusions as to what led to the mayhem. Speculation was that some Christian boys were unhappy that their girls are befriending Muslim boys.’ Local reports indicate the death toll is higher than the police have reported.

A day of mourning has been declared for the victims of killings in Kaduna, which is to be observed on Sunday, 8 January, 2017. This is following a massacre that occurred on the evening on Monday, 26 December, 2016, in the Sanga Local Government Area of the state. The Secretary General of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Musa Asake, made the call for a special prayer for the victims, reported to be 38 in number. ‘In view of the present predicament, the president of CAN has directed that Sunday, 8 January, be declared a national day of mourning by all Christians. We are to pray fervently for our southern Kaduna brothers and sisters who are victims of these wanton killings and also for the peace of our dear country, Nigeria.’ Asake thinks the presidency is not doing anything substantial in response to the mass killing of innocent people. ‘While we commend President Muhammadu Buhari for waging war against the Boko Haram fundamentalists since his assumption of office, his silence in the ongoing genocide in the last few weeks speaks volumes over the perceived official endorsement of the dastardly and ungodly acts. The security operatives in the area appear to be turning blind eyes to the killings.’