RUMOURS spread like wide fire. Tension gripped the city. Residents started moving to their comfort zones, but some never got home. They never saw their families again. Not because they committed any crime but because they were at the wrong spot at the wrong time.
That is the tale of the recent crisis in Kaduna where many people have died in various sectarian and ethno-religous crises that have rocked the defunct capital of Northern Nigeria in the past 40 years. Criminals hide under the cover of religion to kill other people.
The latest round of crisis in the ancient city began on October 18 at Kasuwan Magani, a popular farm produce market in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state where 55 persons were confirmed killed.
The state government, in a swift reaction to the crisis, imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kasuwan Magani and beefed-up security in the capital city to prevent a spillover of the crisis.
The Kasuwan Magani unrest began in February this year when a young lady was allegedly married and converted to Islam by a young man. The development resulted in a religious crisis after a community meeting failed to address the issue. At the time, 15 people were reportedly killed, while property worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Since then, it was learnt, the relationship between the two dominant tribes in Kasuwan Magani (Hausa and Adara) failed to improve in spite of efforts made by the state and local governments to foster peace.
Meanwhile, there have been various accounts as to what resulted in the violence that erupted and spilled over from Kasuwan Magani into Kaduna environs. While some said the market was infested with a swam of bees that forced people to run for safety and some miscreants capitalised on the unfortunate incident to unleash mayhem, the seemingly most credible account was that some suspected maize thieves were caught at the market and argument ensued over the religious and ethnic backgrounds of the thieves. The ensuing argument resulted in outbreak of violence between the Hausa-Fulani Muslim and the indigenous Adara Christian communities.
The following day, there was an unexpected development, which heightened the tension in the state: a First Class traditional ruler, Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Galadima, under whose domain is Kasuwan Magani, was kidnapped at gunpoint with his wife and driver.
The Nation gathered that the monarch and his wife were kidnapped at Maikyali village along Kaduna -Kachia Road in Kachia Local Government Area of the state. The suspected kidnappers, who seized the traditional ruler from his full official convoy, killed four persons, including his orderly (a policeman) and a traditional soldier (Dogari).
The Kaduna State Police Command confirmed that the abductors of the traditional ruler had killed four people on his entourage before going away with the monarch. According to the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, “The Agom Adara, Mr. Maiwada Galadima, and his wife were kidnapped at Maikyali village along Kaduna-Kachia Road in Kachia Local Government area of the state.
DSP Sabo told newsmen in Kaduna that the incident occurred on October 19, at about 6.30 pm, when armed men intercepted the convoy of the traditional ruler and opened fire, forcing them to stop.
“In the process, his police orderly and three others in the vehicles were shot dead. The bandits took away the royal father and his wife, Victoria, to an unknown destination.”
He said that a team of policemen, led by the DPO in Kachia, rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims to Kachia General Hospital.
Fruitless efforts to rescue monarch
The Nation gathered that the state government under Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, in collaboration with the security agencies, made frantic efforts to rescue the late Agom Adara from his abductors.
Governor El-Rufai had said: “Following the abduction of the royal father, the security agents and the government worked strenuously to secure his release. Government is shocked and disappointed by this unfortunate development. The government of Kaduna State and security agencies will pursue justice for this revered man.”
Although his wife and driver were released two days after they were abducted, Agom Adara was not as lucky, as efforts made to rescue him failed. A source close to the Adara chief told our correspondent that “the wife of the Agom Adara was released after it was discovered that she is diabetic. And because they did not want to release her alone, they also released the driver to take her home.”
A security source told our correspondent that a combined team of police, military and vigilante men as well as the Anti-Kidnapping Unit were mobilised to comb the general area and mount surveillance with a view to rescuing the victims and arresting the suspected criminals.
”The IGP IRT were also contacted for technical assistance in tracking the bandits,” the source said.
But all the efforts failed as the monarch was killed and his body dumped by the road side on October 26, exactly a week after he was kidnapped. It was gathered that the monarch was killed even after his abductors had taken N10 million as ransom.
A community source, who claimed to be part of the negotiating team raised by the community when the kidnappers established contact with the community, said in Kaduna that the traditional ruler was shot “immediately the ransom was delivered to the kidnappers” at a point that they chose.
According to him, “even the courier of the ransom money could not understand why the kidnappers shot the paramount ruler who was already on the threshold of freedom.”
He said immediately the traditional ruler was killed, there was confusion even within the camp of the kidnappers as there was no clear reason why the person who shot him did. The bearer of the ransom money, in the midst of the confusion, ran away and returned to Kaduna where he relayed the unfortunate incident to the community members.
“After he was killed, at that point, his body was moved to Katari, about 85 kilometres between Abuja and Kaduna, before the kidnappers contacted the family of the late chief, telling them where to pick up his body,” he explained.
How news of monarch’s demise was received
The development made some irate youths to target and block Sabon Tasha, Narrayi, Gonin-Gora, Barnawa Sunday Market to attack perceived enemies over the alleged kidnap of their traditional ruler, while they were still mourning their loved ones who were killed in a fresh clash in Kasuwan Magani. Other parts of the metropolis like Kawo, Bakin Ruwa, all under Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Kajuru and Kachia local government areas had followed suit.
Youths from the southern and northern parts of the state were seen brandishing deadly weapons such as knives and cutlasses, blocking the roads and attacking people. The development left no fewer than 22 people dead.
Governor El-Rufai confirmed that much when he received President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna last Tuesday, saying: “The latest tragic instalment of the painful legacy of violent strife repeated itself on Thursday, 18th October 2018, when unrest again broke out in the market at Kasuwan Magani.
“This violence left at least 55 persons dead and considerable damage to lives and livelihoods. Criminals committed a brazen outrage in Kasuwan Magani, and we owe the victims justice.
“A day after the Kasuwan Magani clashes, HRH Agom Adara was abducted in a most violent manner on his way back to Kachia from Kaduna where he had attended to some private and social engagements. The security agencies did all that was required to secure his release. Sadly, the revered monarch was later killed by the criminals that kidnapped him. We pray God to grant his kind soul eternal rest.
“By Sunday, 21st October 2018, while the security agencies and the Agom’s family were collaborating to bring him home, conflict entrepreneurs had begun spreading the absurd rumour that he was kidnapped as reprisal for the killing of many innocent people in Kasuwan Magani.
“Panic had been generated in our state capital as the rumours of chaos and anarchy spread. Hoodlums exploited the situation to engage in further criminal activities in the markets and streets of Kaduna metropolis, which led to violation of the rights of innocent citizens.
“The aftermath of the disinformation and resulting panic led to the death of another 22 citizens, destruction of property and injuries to many others.”
Impact of monarch’s death
The killing of Dr. Galadima and several other innocent people in the recent crisis certainly has a negative impact on not only the Adara chiefdom but also on the emotional, economic and security aspects of the people of the state.
In his reaction, El-Rufai expressed shock at the gruesome murder of the First Class chief, saying that Kaduna State had lost a rare gem and peace builder.
The governor described Dr. Galadima as a man of peace and a traditional ruler who consistently made positive contributions for the peace and tranquility in his chiefdom and the entire state.
He said: “We mourn this quintessential traditional ruler who was killed by his abductors in the early hours of today.
“We are pained and heartbroken that criminal elements have taken away from us a man who did his best for peace and harmony.
“The Kaduna State Government extends its condolence to the family of this revered leader and to the people of the chiefdom he led with dedication and commitment.
“Dr. Galadima was a man of peace, a traditional ruler who consistently made positive contributions for the peace and tranquility in his chiefdom and the entire state. He was a gentleman to the core.
“Kaduna State has lost a cherished leader. Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, on behalf of the government and people of the state, extends deep sympathy to the immediate family and the people of the Adara Chiefdom.”
Corroborating the governor’s eulogy of the late traditional ruler, a member of the Hausa-Fulani community in Adara chiefdom and one time Interim Chairman of Kachia Local Government, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abubakar, said it is even the Muslim community of the chiefdom that have lost a lot with the Agom Adara’s demise.
According to Abubakar, who is also a member of the late chief’s burial committee, Agom Adara was not only a peace maker but a defender of peace and justice for all, irrespective of their ethno-religious backgrounds.
He said: “Our prayer to God is to give his immediate family, the entire chiefdom and the Hausa-Fulani community in particular the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. We are also praying that God gives us an equally just and God-fearing replacement for the late Agom Adara.
“It is unfortunate that some bad eggs are already trying to use the unfortunate death of our traditional ruler to cause division among us. They are trying to link Agom Adara’s kidnap and killing to the Kasuwan Magani incident, but we will pray to God to make them see reasons to promote peace.”
Besides Adara chiefdom, the monarch’s death and the spillover killings in Kaduna city have economic, social and security setbacks for the state that was just recovering from the resultant disharmony and mutual suspicion created by the killings in southern Kaduna.
Once again, businesses were paralysed, schools were shut, social life ebbed and residents were trembling for fear of attack even in their bedrooms, as the government had to impose a curfew for almost two weeks.
Residents live in fear
Although the state government has now reviewed the curfew period in the state and people now pursue their legitimate businesses, there is still tension due to fear of the unknown and mutual suspicion among the different ethnic and religious groups.
A resident of Kaduna, Aisha Abdul, told our reporter that with the eruption of the recent crisis, the people are now living in perpetual fear.
“I see the recent crisis resulting from hunger and poverty. Imagine, we were locked up for more than a week in our houses. Our government has failed to provide jobs for people and this is the result.
“Now, one has to be careful even the way you interact with people, because even a simple disagreement over the price of commodity in the market can inflame crisis. For me, I will not argue unnecessarily with anyone for now; even if I see where people engage in argument, I will move away from there immediately,” she said.
Another resident, Mike Timothy, urged government to provide more security for people in the state in order for them to resume activities fully in the state.
“The crisis has brought a setback to the state’s economy. We are not going to relocate from Kaduna because Kaduna is a very good place to live in. But some bad elements want to spoil Kaduna. They want to always cause tension so that they can take advantage of it to loot and steal.
“We want government to work on that and get rid of the criminals attempting to cause crisis,” he said.
However, the state government said it has resolved to increase security presence in the state to further ensure security of lives and property.
Governor El-Rufai said: “It is clear to us in the Kaduna State Government that we have to extend the strong presence of the instruments of state power and security in our communities.
“We need more military, police and paramilitary forces on the ground to affirm the prerogatives of the state, reassure and secure our people, and deter and arrest criminals.
“New police divisions are therefore proposed in Narayi, Sabon Tasha and other identified locations. We are grateful to the police authorities for also agreeing to establish a new police division in Kasuwan Magani.
“The state government and the relevant local government councils will provide the buildings to house these new police and civil defence formations. More military Strike Force bases will also be established in known flash points,” the governor assured.
