The Kaduna Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has debunked the claims of governor of Kaduna state, Nasir Ahmed El-rufai that 66 persons were killed in Kajuru LGA, a suburb of Kaduna state on Friday.
The association said the position of the governor was a false alarm which have been made to look like a breaking news, saying that the incident happened long before now and not as claimed by the governor.
This was disclosed to our reporter in a telephone chat on Saturday evening and also in a statement signed by the CAN chairman Kaduna state, John Joseph Hayab and obtained by our reporter yesterday.
He said the statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the governor is false in its entirety.
“We see this as an illogical intentional, premeditated attempt at steering violence in the state for whatever expected gains”, CAN chairman said.
According to Hayab in the statement “we are aware that the incident happened in the late hours of Sunday 10 February to 12th February, 2019, at about 1:00am at Gindin Gada, Maro Ward of Kajuru Local Government in Kaduna State where unidentified hoodlums went into the village and killed about 11 people in their sleep. Which lead to reprisals .Two of the suspects were said to have been apprehended and handed over to the Divisional Police.
“It was on 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 DSS State Command on the issue.
“It is disheartening that the media that supposed to be objective and be the true mirror of the society has rather chosen to bow to pea nuts against her code of ethics”.
Meanwhile, the state government had earlier on Friday evening condemning the killing of 66 persons, warning all communities against instigating attacks or reprisals.
A government statement said that security agencies have been deployed to the area, while arrests have been made.
According to the statement, 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.
In his reaction, the Deputy Director General of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna state Campaign Council, Bello Sarki challenged the state government to publish its fact to when, how and the casualty of the incident.
All efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Kaduna command to speak on the development proved abortive as he did not not responds to several calls put forward to his telephone line.
Abdulwaheed Adubi, Kaduna
