The Kaduna massacre

The recent killing of 30 people, including women and children, by terrorists in Naridon Village in Kamaru Ward, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State has, again, underscored the enormity of the nation’s growing security challenges. We condemn the heinous and unwarranted attack on defenceless citizens. During the attack, the terrorists also destroyed houses and businesses and left several people wounded.

Naridon, which is a border community between Kaduna State and Ganawuri in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, was attacked in the early hours of July 27 by the terrorists, who shot indiscriminately at the residents and set many houses ablaze.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the assault as an unprovoked act of terror against defenceless people and vowed to deal with the perpetrators. He had directed the police to work with other security and intelligence agencies to ensure that those responsible for the attack are arrested and brought to justice He also said that his administration would not allow criminal elements to reverse the security gains recorded in the state in recent times.

The President urged the security agencies to intensify operations across the affected areas to hunt down the perpetrators of the deadly attack and rescue abducted victims. The President assured Nigerians that the on-going restructuring of security operations and institutions will deliver victory over terrorism, banditry and kidnappings nationwide. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to confronting violent criminal networks threatening lives and livelihoods in the country.

Kaduna State government has equally condemned the attack. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, the government described the incident as a senseless act of violence and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state. The State governor, Uba Sani, has directed the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) to provide immediate relief and humanitarian assistance to families affected by the attack.

The Kaduna attack is another addition to the long list of such brutal attacks on citizens across the country. Three days after the Kaduna massacre, some gunmen on July 30 killed three miners in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. The victims were attacked while returning from a mining site. Earlier, nine members of a family, including a two-month-old baby, were killed in a late-night attack on Kum and Wereng-Camp communities in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

Elsewhere, no fewer than 14 people were been killed in an attack by armed herders on Efeyi in Ugboju District of the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government, Maxwell Ogiri, describing it as another unprovoked assault carried out by armed herders. On 27 July, three people were killed and two others injured in separate attacks on Elulu and Agadagba communities in neighbouring Ohimini Local Government Area.

The attacks occurred two days after the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, visited Benue, where he pledged intensified intelligence-led policing and held a strategic security meeting with Governor Alia and other stakeholders. On 12 July, eight people were killed when armed herders attacked Otukpo-Nobi and Akpachi communities in Otukpo Local Government Area. The attacks triggered protests by angry youths in the area.

The latest barbaric attacks on Kaduna, Plateau and Benue states came at a time citizens thought that the situation had been brought under control by the security agencies. These mindless attacks by non-state actors show that the nation’s security challenges are yet to abate. The Kaduna massacre is therefore a wake-up call on the federal government to frontally confront the menace.

We condemn the attacks in very strong terms. Killings in Kaduna, Benue and Plateau communities have become recurrent and should not be allowed to continue. The massacre has become one too many and a serious indictment on the government and security agencies. The regularity of the attacks in Kaduna and neighbouring states underlines the need for change of operational tactics in the on-going fight against the terrorists and bandits.

Beyond the tough talks by the President, there is need for urgent actions to tackle the situation. The attack in Benue, coming few days after the IGP visited the state makes the situation more disturbing. The development is a clear testimony that insecurity has assumed a dangerous dimension in the country.

The ugly development calls for reorganisation of response strategies by the security agencies. Let them recalibrate their intelligence gathering and sharing networks.  As modern warfare depends so much on technology than boots, we urge the government to invest so much on drones and other high-precision equipment in the war against the terrorists.