Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night invaded the Fadan Karshi village, killing its district head and his nephew.
Fadan Karshi is in Sanga Local Government Area in the southern part of Kaduna State.
Eyewitness said the District Head, Mr. Bala Madaki, 66, was killed alongside his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, who was taking the 2016 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
A community leader and pastor, Mike Makarfi, said the suspected Fulani invaders attacked the village at about 10.30pm on Sunday.
Makarfi said the Fulani gunmen went straight to the district head’s compound, shot sporadically before they entered the chief’s room and shot him and Tanko dead.
At the moment, according to the cleric, Fadan Karshi village has turned to a ghost town as residents have fled for fear of being killed.
Security operatives are said to be patrolling Karshi village and those who could not flee from the onslaught were made to stay indoors.
Nobody could give reason for the attack.
Makarfi, however, said the district head and his nephew might have been killed as a result of personal grudge the Fulani had with the monarch.
It was gathered that in May, 2014 Fadan Karshi had come under siege when Fulani gunmen invaded the police station in the area, killing seven people but the police in an exchange of gunshot killed two of the suspected Fulani men.
The Fulani Association had petitioned the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) and copied the then governor where they demanded that the Fadan Karshi district head be “arrested, dethroned and prosecuted for the death of two Fulani people.”
Makarfi said the killing of the district head might not be unconnected with the May, 2014 incident where the two Fulani men were killed.
“This is unfortunate, because in the past one week, we have had some reprieve, just for the violence to turn this way,” he said.
Makarfi added, “Around 10pm, the chief moved into his house with his family. Then some gunmen who our people said were Fulani, stormed his compound and started shooting. They went into his room and shot him at close range. They also shot a small boy, Emmanuel Tanko, who was taking his final year secondary school exams.
“Now Fadan Karshi is deserted. Shops and service centres are shut. People are either staying indoors or are leaving the town. No one knows what is coming next. Police are patrolling the streets.
“I want you to recall that this was the district head that received former Governor Mukhtar Yero on September 22, 2014 when our women protested half naked because of the scale of killings by Fulani going on at that time.
“What people are saying about the killings of our district head is that he may have been killed by Fulani who have a grudge against this community and him.
“In May, 2014 some Fulani armed men invaded the police station here and seven people were killed. As they were escaping, two of them were killed in an exchange of gun fire between them and the Police.”
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police spokesman Zubairu Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
Abubakar , however, said he had yet to get the details of what transpired at the Fadan Karshi village.
As of the time of filing this report, the police spokesman said he was still awaiting reports from the Divisional Police Officer from Karshi.
“I don’t have the details yet. When I do, I will surely give you,” he said.
But, till press time, he did not come up with any information.
Meanwhile, the state Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has condemned the killing of the traditional ruler and his relation.
While commiserating with the family of the victims, the governor urged the people of Sanga Local Government Area to be calm and support the security agencies to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators of the brutal act.
Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress from the eight local government areas of Kaduna South Senatorial District, el-Rufai said security agencies were investigating the attack, and were working to apprehend the culprits.
Source: Punch
