Death toll increases to 17 in Southern Kaduna attack

17 people have died as a result of last night’s attack on the Ungwan Wakili hamlet in Kaduna State’s Zango Kataf Local Government Area.

In addition to the one victim from yesterday and the two patients who passed away in the hospital, 14 bodies that were found this morning.

It was learned from the military on the ground that the recent attack might be related to the killing of a Fulani herder four days ago in Ungwan Juju, apparently in retaliation for the killing of one of their locals last month, aside from the pockets of complaints of cow poisoning and destruction of farm produce by the locals and Fulani, which they have been resolving.

Addressing to reporters, Mr. Francis Sani Zimbo, the council chairman of Zango Kataf Local Government, denounced the brutal assault and reaffirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify the offenders and hold them accountable.

He expressed remorse over the decision to remove all Mobile Police checkpoints from the impacted villages before to last night’s attack.

While protesting, the locals questioned how an attack could endure for almost 40 minutes without a single attacker being shot by security personnel despite the presence of a forward operating base in the neighborhood.

A source that spoke on condition of anonymity stated, “A police officer and 10 others were killed on Saturday night when a confusion endued earlier in the afternoon between security operatives and a Fulani man at a checkpoint in Ungwan Wakili.”

“First, a Fulani man and  the police were shot and killed at the checkpoint.The situation became worse  in the evening when some fishermen  were attacked and one was allegedly hacked to death.”

“A dusk to dawn curfew was imposed on the troubled communities ,Ungwan Juju, Mabuhu, Ungwan Wakili, and Zango Urban. Angwan Wakili, Angwan Juju, and Mabuhu communities in Atyap chiefdom  were threatened to be attacked.”

“Yesterday, 11th March, 2023 at about 4:45pm, I got informed that the security personnel at a checkpoint in Angwan Wakili tried to stop some Fulani men who were on motorcycle, but they tried to pick a fight with the mobile police officers. One of the officers was hit with a stick by the Fulani and the officer shot one of them on his leg. In retaliation, the Fulani also shot one of the officers who quickly rushed to the hospital.”

“The  Fulani regrouped  and returned to the checkpoint at about 10 pm and opened fire on the security personnel.But by this time, it was the military that was at the checking point exchanging fire.”

The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals..