Barely 24 hours after Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai condemned the lynching of two persons said to be herders in Birnin-Gwari council of the state, and ordered an investigation into the attack, Birnin Gwari Emirate Development Union (BEPU) has said the lynched persons were not herders, but terrorist mercenaries from Sudan.
“The record, which BEPU is privy to, shows that the lynched ‘herders’ were terrorist mercenaries from the Republic of Sudan. The lynched persons are not herdsmen as falsely reported earlier but international criminals that have been terrorising Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area (ID cards attached),” BEPU said
A statement issued by the State’s Commissioner Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said, security agencies reported that the mob seized the two herders from security personnel, on unsubstantiated claims that they were linked with banditry. The mob burnt the herders, even though they had not been found complicit of the allegations.
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But the Birnin-Gwari Emirate in a counter claim yesterday said that its findings revealed that the lynching occurred after the suspects snatched a motorcycle from a farmer on the outskirts of Birnin-Gwari main town.
According to the statement signed by BEPU Chairman, Ishaq Usman Kasai, the Union said: “Clearly, while the lynching of suspected bandits is highly condemnable, the Union observes with deep concern the way the issue has been reported to selectively and deliberately portray Birnin Gwari in the bad taste, and targeted to prove a false narrative on the issue to endanger the helpless innocent citizens of Birnin-Gwari Local Government.
“While we appreciate governments resolve to investigate and bring perpetrators of this primitive act to book, we equally observe that, Government officials seem to be so in haste in issuing the sensitive statement without scrutiny of the identities of the ‘alleged herders’ that were lynched by mob action.
“Available records which BEPU are privy to, shows that, the lynched ‘herders’ were terrorist mercenaries from the Republic of Sudan. Therefore, the alleged lynched persons are not herdsmen as falsely reported earlier but international criminal syndicates that have been terrorising Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area ( ID cards attached).”