Four villages destroyed, 19 people killed over poisoning of two cows

At least four villages have been destroyed, 19 persons dead and many others injured following the death of two cows allegedly killed through poisoning in Mafan village, Fadan Atakar Chiefdom of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State between last Saturday and Sunday. This was disclosed by the Chairman of Kaura Local Government Area, Mr. Kumai Badu.

The violence has rendered no fewer than 500 people from the four affected communities homeless as they are now camped in two places, Fadan Atakar, and Zangan.

According to Badu,  the injured were taken to Jankwano ECWA Church Hospital, Jos and Kaura General Hospital for treatment. Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mallam Abubakar Adamu, said as at Friday, the number of refugees at the two camps was 500, but the number would likely rise.

Narrating what led to the violence at one of the camps, Model Primary School, Fadan Atakar, Badu said, it was the first time Atakar ever came under Fulani attack.

In his words, “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.
“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 Aboi that poisoned the cows, or even if they died of poisoning.

“Then one day, Aboi was found missing. After a search by the villages they 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 first place. They vandalised the palace and the chief is now living in his personal house 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.

“Last Saturday, by 3pm. 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 on Sunday morning the Officer in charge told me that they counted 19 bodies. All the Houses in the villages have been burnt.

The Kaduna State Police Spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, Aminu Lawan, confirmed the story, but said he was yet to be briefed on the casualty figure by the Area Commander in charge of the affected area.