Chidi Samuel
Fresh attacks continued Saturday and Sunday in the troubled Goska, Kaninkon chiefdom of Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna state, despite the 24 hour curfew imposed by the state government and the presence security personnel deployed in the area to maintain peace. Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Elrufai confirmed the attacks while describing them as the handiwork of forces of darkness.
The curfew was announced a day after an attack by demonstrators in Kafanchan on the governor and his officials after a state security council meeting in the town.
In a statement on Sunday, the Governor through his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, expressed sympathy with the families that lost loved ones in the renewed attack and charged security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.
According to the statement, “While the government and security agencies were working assiduously to block all windows to ensure that citizens throughout the three local government areas and the state at large are protected, these forces of darkness that represent evil and inhumanity struck again, killed innocent citizens, burnt their houses, injured some and terrified many.”
“Government and security agencies will not be deterred, we will continue to be resilient, up and doing and courageous in tackling this unfortunate situation.
“Their tactics are to create a chasm, divide people, breed hate and prejudice and plunge the state into chaos but we will triumph over these evil forces by the grace of almighty God”.
The Governor pledged that the government would “continue to be firm and decisive” in its efforts to suppress the attackers,restore peace in the state and urged the people of the state to come together “irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political inclinations” to confront the attackers.
“They become stronger only when our people are divided instead of coming together to weaken and neutralize them and the evil they represent and to free our humanity from their devilish act”, he emphasised.
“It is also clear that resorting to self-help compounds the precarious situation thereby, breeding the cycle of vicious killings. It must be clear to all by now that inciting of tit-for-tat does not help our security agencies and communities attain our quest for peace and those calling for that will also be brought to justice”.
“Our deep empathy and prayers go to the families that lost their loved ones and those that lost their homes and properties. May their souls rest in peace and may God see us through this challenging time,” the statement concluded.