Two cows allegedly killed through poisoning in Mafan village, Fadan
Atakar Chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State,
sparked off clashes that led to the death of 19 people, and the
destruction of four villages between last Saturday and Sunday,
according to the Chairman of Kaura Local Government Area, Mr. Kumai
Badu.
10 people were also critically injured in the violence. The injured
were taken to Jankwano ECWA Church Hospital, Jos and Kaura General
Hospital for treatment, Badu added.
Badu also said that no fewer than 500 people from the four affected
communities have become refugees and are camped in two places,
FadanAtakar, and Zangan.
Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of Kaduna
State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mallam Abubakar Adamu, said
as at Friday, the numberof refugees at the two camps was 500, but the
number was bound to rise.
The Kaduna State Police spokesman, Deputy Superintendent of Police,
DSP,Aminu Lawan also confirmed the development, but said he had not
been briefed on the casualty figure by the Area Commander in charge of
the affected area.
Badu who spoke to newsmen from one of the camps at Model Primary
School, Fadan Atakar, said it was the first time Atakar ever came
under Fulani attack.
"There was a young man, Aboi Stephen (21), in Mafan who had been
complaining that some cattle have been grazing in his dry season farm.
I was told that the cattle destroyed a good portion of the farm, and
that there was no end in sight to the destruction. Only the Fulanis
own cattle there," Badu narrated what led to the clash.
"About two weeks ago, two Fulani cows were found dead, apparently of
poison. The owner of the cows was said to have publicly warned Aboi of
the grave consequences of his action. I don't know if it was Aboithat
poisoned the cows, or even if they died of poisoning.
"Then one day, Aboi was found missing. After a search by the
villagesthey found his corpse which had deep machete cuts and his
throat was slit open.
"Upon that discovery, women and children mobilised to the palace of
the chief of Atakar, Chief Tobias Nkom-Wada accusing him of inviting
the Fulani into Atakar land in the firstplace. They vandalised the
palace and the chief is now living in his personalhouse in Tachire.
"On seeing what the women and children did, the Fulanis started moving
out en mass to their kin in Kanawuri areas of Plateau State, which
also has some Atakar speaking villages.
"On their way, they shot a young man that same day in Kanawuri
area.That pitched them against the Atakarin Plateau State and they
fought for days. The fighting led to the burning of some Atakar
villages.
"The affected ones had to move to this Local Government, where we open
the first refugee camp for themat Mifi. But, we have merged it with
the other two, because it was too vulnerable.
"When the Army moved in last week, the Fulanis left Kanawuri in
Plateau, state back to this place with their arms.
"Last Saturday by 3p.m., they attacked Mafan, Zalang, Taliki and
Zangkan villages up those hills, while able bodied men had gone to the
farms or the market. They went on unchallenged from 3pm on Saturday,
till Sunday morning.
"When the Army arrived the scene onSunday morning the Officer in
charge told me that they counted 19 bodies. All the Houses in the
villages have been burnt.
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