THE ADARA NATION UNDER SIEGE
Waziri, Jerome Akyasa
The Adara people who are predominantly found in Kachia and Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State have been hard-hit again. Recall that their Paramount Ruler (Agom Adara III) was abducted and brutally murdered last year, an incident that led to the Kajuru unrest.
For about three days now, about three villages have been under attack by unknown gunmen. According to Hon. Cafra Caino, the Executive Chairman of Kajuru LGA, about 400 militia invaded Ung Barde of Maro ward killing over 17 people and leaving dozens injured. Also, on Monday, another rounds of attacks were witnessed in Dogon Noma of Ung Gamo also in Maro wrd. This attack was said to have tripled that of the Ung Barde in terms of casualties.
Furthermore, the chairman confirmed that “Ung Gora (Labi Village) was razed down by bandits numbering over 200. The community now lay in ruins. This brings the total number of attacks within 2 days to 3, leaving the entire community in ruins with the deaths still counting…”
Going by the killings, a lot of people have expressed their fears on the fate of the poor villagers who have been consistently attacked with no seeming government intervention. In fact, some have blamed the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir elRufa’i for publicly announcing that the Adara people killed over 100 Fulani in the areas currently under attack. In addition, the leaders of the Adara people who include the Adara Development Association (ADA) President, the Acting Agom Adara (Wazirin Adara) and other traditional rulers have been imprisoned by the state government. This action has further heightened the insinuations that the Governor is out to destroy the Adara people.
In a statement signed by Barrister Luke Waziri (Assistant National Secretary, ADA), he alleged that the killings are fully funded and supported. The statement reads, “Kajuru land and by extension the Adara nation has been gripped by a fully funded and supported group of terrorists that have been wreaking havoc in our lands for long, while those saddled with the responsibility of securing us deliberately looked the other way.”
The assistant scribe further surmised that, “…in a strange twist of the application of justice, nine Adara elders and village chiefs were indiscriminately arrested and thrown into the Kaduna prison on allegations of complicity. The victims that have been killed and brutalized are the same ones being arrested and thrown into prison, while the real killers are being pampered, supported and allowed to freely continue their onslaught on people and our land.”
Therefore, the assistant scribe concluded by insisting and demanding that their leaders be unconditionally released because their continued incarceration is a travesty of justice that has no place in a democratic setting.
In reaction to the above, the Kaduna State Government imposed dusk to dawn curfew in Kajuru LGA, and parts of Chikun LGA. This was in a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan (SSA, Media and publicity to the Kaduna State Governor).
In line with the above and considering the fact that a lot of people have been displaced from their ancestral homes, this piece calls on the International Organizations and other NGOs to come to the aid of the displaced people in Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State.