Gunmen kill 3 persons on Christmas eve

At least there persons were killed on Christmas Eve (Sunday) at Ungwan Mailafiya, Kwagiri district of Gwong Chiefdom, in the Jema’ah Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing six and injuring others.

This followed an attack on a Christmas carol congregants at Nindem, Godogodo Chiefdom, in the same LGA last Friday.

Four persons were killed, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injury in that attack.

While appealing for calm among the natives, Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said military authorities had been deployed in the area.

He added that the state government was working to avert an escalation of the attacks.

According to Aruwan, the commander of the Operation Safe Haven, who had temporary relocated to the scene of the incident, confirmed that more troops had been deployed in the southern part of the state.

He said the government was saddened by the development which amounted to threat to lives and property of the people of Southern Kaduna.

The governor’s aide, who addressed journalists on Monday in Kaduna, the state capital, said, “Today, the military authorities notified the Kaduna State Government of the attack on Ungwan Mailafiya community, which occurred late last night (Sunday). It followed an attack on Nindem on the night of December 23, 2017.

“The state government has been working with security agencies to fortify the area to deter an escalation and reassure residents of their safety. Accordingly, the commander of Operation Safe Haven, who has temporarily moved to Kafanchan to coordinate the operation, has confirmed that more assets are being deployed in the Southern Kaduna area.

“Negative elements must not be allowed to undo all the hard work done to restore peace and security. The government commiserates with the families of the victims.”

The governor’s spokesman enjoined all communities in the affected areas “to stand together, and support the security agencies to thwart what looks like a predetermined plot to create anarchy at this period.”

He called on the residents not to allow criminal elements any opportunity to succeed in their plans to frustrate government’s efforts at ensuring that lasting peace reigned in the area.

He gave the contacts of the Operation Safe Haven, the special security task force in the area, as 08021212139, 08149000091, 0809049833, 08074633336.

Also, a member of the House of Representatives from Jema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency, Shehu Garba, in a statement on Monday, condemned the attack in strong terms, calling on the security personnel and El-Rufai to nip the menace in the bud in good time.

He said while the community was still mourning the Christmas carol night killing of four at Nindem, another attack occurred at Ungwan Mailafiya, where six persons were killed.

The lawmaker said, “It was with deep shock and concern that I received the news of the attack on Nindem village in Godogodo Chiefdom, at about 10pm on Friday, December 22, 2017.

“In this attack, four persons were killed and 10 others were critically injured. The dead were buried the following day under the watch of the security personnel. The injured are currently being attended to at the Throneroom Hospital in Kafanchan, while other severe cases have been referred to JUTH in Jos.

“While we were mourning the deaths at Nindem, at about 10pm on Christmas Eve on Sunday, the security personnel received the distress calls of another attack on Ungwan Mailafiya, in Kwagiri district of Gwong Chiefdom. By daybreak on Christmas Day, six persons were confirmed dead, including a child of about six years old, while many others were injured.

“These recent attacks defy human logic as there appears to be no immediate trigger. That these attacks take place on the eve of Christmas is a demonstration of the total contempt of the perpetrators for the solemnity of this season.

“As a representative of these communities and a human being, these incidents are painful and stand totally condemned. We will continue to promote the virtues of peace and harmonious coexistence among all our communities.”

Garba appealed to security agencies and El-Rufai to investigate the incidents and bring the perpetrators to book.