The attack, which the state government said happened in four locations of Tsonje, Agban, Katanga and Kadarko, all within the Kagoro Chiefdom, on Sunday night, claimed 34 lives including two soldiers, while over 200 houses were burnt and vehicles, motorcycles, vandalised.
The incident sparked protests, forcing the state government to slam a 24-hour curfew on Jema’a and Kaura Local Government Areas.
Meanwhile, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, in a statement on Tuesday, said the Acting Commissioner of Police in the state, DCP Mayaki Mohammed Baba, had ordered a full scale investigation and deployment of anti-riot policemen, conventional police as well as undercover operatives to enforce the curfew in the affected councils in Southern Kaduna.
According to Jalige, the deployment became necessary considering the volatile nature of such clashes in the past and the attendant consequences.
The police spokesman quoted the acting CP to have noted that the curfew was not in any way to punish anybody but a strategy to safeguard the sanctity of human life.
The statement read, “Following the fracas which led to the unfortunate loss of lives and destruction of properties in Agban/Adan villages of the Kaura LGA of Kaduna State on the 21st March, 2022, and the subsequent declaration of curfew by the Kaduna State Government, which covers Jema’a and Kaura LGAs, the Ag. Commissioner of Police Kaduna Command, DCP Maiyaki Mohammed Baba, has ordered for a full scale investigation of the incident as adequate deployment of Police anti-riot units, conventional Police as well as undercover Operatives is made to ensure the strict enforcement of the said curfew imposed and to equally tame the spread of the crisis to the neighbouring communities.
“The deployment became so necessary considering the volatile nature of such clashes in the past and attendant consequences. The measures taken will indeed give the authorities the ample chance to prevent any further loss of lives and destruction of property of law abiding citizens of the State.
“The Ag. CP equally, while condoling the good people of the state, particularly the families of those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident, warns those inclined in such troublemaking to desist as the longhand of the law will always catch up with them. Thus, he is calling on the communities to be law abiding and comply with the curfew emplaced by the authority as violators of the order will be made to face the consequences of their action.
“He noted that the curfew is not in any way to punish anybody but a strategy to safeguard the sanctity of human life as he assured the parties that justice will be served on whosoever has a hand in the crisis as the Command will not leave any stone unturned in getting to the root of the crisis.”
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