Day all hell broke loose in Kaduna....

Scene of a bomb blast
| credits: File copy

DAVID ATTAH gives a detailed account of what transpired penultimate Sunday, when Kaduna State became a theatre of war.

The time was  6:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 17, 2012. Madam Victoria Akpojiyovwi, fondly called “Mama” by her grandchildren, would by now be giving praises to the Almighty God. Mama, who stayed in Ughelli, Delta State, had set out to travel to Kaduna en route Warri. However, as she got to the motor park, she narrowly missed the last vehicle. It was the fourth vehicle that had loaded that morning to the North-western state.

She was not happy. She threatened to stay at the park until another vehicle came. Her reason was that she had greatly missed her grandchildren and an expectant daughter. Mama left the park after much pleading from other travellers who had also missed the bus. She heeded their advice but decided to leave behind her luggage for the next day, when she would come to try her luck again.

Instead of going back to her house at Ugheli, she decided to spend the night at her brother’s house in Warri, so that she could catch the early morning bus going to the north the next day. No sooner had Mama reached her brother’s house, than her mobile cell phone rang. She was advised to cancel her trip to Kaduna because of the renewed cycle of violence that had then engulfed the state.

But what went wrong? It all started when suicide bombers attacked three churches in the ancient city of Zaria and Kaduna metropolis. Specifically, the churches attacked include the Christ the King Catholic Church on Yoruba Road, Sabon Gari; the Second ECWA Goodnews Church, Wusasa, all in Zaria; and the Shalom Pentecostal Church along the Western bypass in Kaduna metropolis.

The incident sparked off instant revolt, as angry youths in some parts of the state took the laws into their hands to avenge the deaths of those who died in the bomb attacks.

On the first day alone, over four deaths were recorded; and by the second day, the death toll had risen to 74, despite the intimidating presence of combat-ready soldiers, riot police and other security agencies. Again, scores of others were injured; and so far, hundreds of people have besieged the various hospitals in the state in search of their missing relations.

The spokesman of the Catholic Hospital, Mr. John Ali, said the number of bodies brought there was 39, while those who sustained varying degrees of injuries and were being treated were 72.

He also disclosed that all the corpses were later evacuated from the mortuary by the Kaduna State Government, even as many people continued searching for their missing relations.

To underscore the seriousness of the issue, members of the International Committee of Red Cross arrived in Kaduna on Sunday evening, and have been performing surgery on those who were seriously injured.

Also, at the Barau Dikko Specialists Hospital, sources said 12 deaths were recorded, with two others receiving treatment for grievous injuries; while at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, an official of the state Emergency Management Agency who pleaded anonymity said the death toll was 23.

Narrating his ordeal after the violence on his hospital bed at the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, an immigrant from Niger Republic, 26-year-old Suleiman Mani, who hews firewood for a living said he was cutting firewood for one of his customers at Narayi when, suddenly, he was told to leave because of a disturbing news they had just heard.

“As I was running away, I saw two people on a bike carrying machetes and sticks. They attempted to hit me with the stick, but I managed to dodge them. They then got down from the bike and pursued me. They caught up with me and attacked me with the machete. I wanted to run back to Narayi, but they continued to assault me until I fell down.

“They wanted to severe my head, but the machete landed on my hand as I tried to protect myself. They carried a big stone and wanted to hit my head, but somehow, they ran away, perhaps in pursuit of another victim. Later, one woman who was also my customer helped me to the hospital.”

Another victim, John Arinze, 23, who hails from Imo State, said he was on his way to Abuja when he was attacked by people suspected to be Hausa youths along the Express bypass.

He said that he was saved by the Sarki (leader), who then handed him over to soldiers on patrol.

“There were Hausa boys who blocked the road around that area. They were carrying knives and machetes. They stopped me and pulled me out of the car and beat me.

They wanted to kill me; then, their Sarki intervened and ferried me away from the scene of violence. He handed me over to soldiers who were passing by and they brought me to the hospital.”

Similarly, Yahaya Dahiru, 27, a commercial motorcycle operator was attacked at Sabon Tasha area where he had gone to drop a passenger.

“Immediately my passenger disembarked, I made a U-turn, and then I saw some people ordering motorbike riders to stop. They stopped many of us and asked us to lie down. They started beating us and smashing blocks on every part of our bodies.

“They said they would kill us because Boko Haram was killing their people. They told us that Boko Haram had been bombing them and therefore, they would retaliate by killing all Muslims. They beat me so much that I became unconscious. I don’t even know how I got here.”

Another victim of the one-day madness was Yahaya Usman, a Christian from Kogi State, who said he was attacked at Trikaniya area.

He explained, “My son had gone to church earlier, but he suddenly telephoned to warn me that there was a bomb planted near the church. So, I became worried and wanted to go and pick him. When I got close to IBB road, I saw a mob of Hausa boys who started attacking me with sticks and machetes. They stabbed me all over my body and it was the men of Operation Yaki Patrol that rescued me. They then brought me to the hospital.”

To save the situation and mitigate further damage, the government imposed a 24-hour curfew on the state.  The state government said the measure was to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

Also, a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media, Mr. Reuben Buhari, said security agencies in the state had been directed to take charge and ensure that residents complied with the curfew.

However, condemnations have trailed the bombings and the subsequent reprisals which claimed more lives.

For instance, the Arewa Consultative Forum said the bombing of the churches came as a surprise. The organisation condemned the act and the subsequent reprisals. 

The ACF  in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani said, “The reported bombings of some churches and other places in Kaduna and Zaria town, which have resulted in the loss of many lives and property on 17th June, 2012, have come to Arewa Consultative Forum as a surprise. A big surprise because this is coming in the wake of an offer of constructive engagement or dialogue by the Federal Government at the instance of well-meaning Nigerians, including elders of North-East geopolitical zone, which held a meeting in Bauchi last week.

“It is still the position of ACF that whatever may be the perceived grievances, it cannot be the justification for taking the lives of innocent people who are totally unaware of the nature of the grouse; more so, that there is no religion which allows its adherents to kill innocent fellow human beings. In fact, all religions preach peace and love of one’s neighbours.

“Therefore, ACF would not be tired of repeated calls on those who kill themselves and other people to stop such killings, and embrace the offer of dialogue by government as the only way of addressing any perceived grievances, however, deep and wide, towards sustaining peace and national security.

Similarly, both the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Jama’atul Nasril Islam condemned the bombing and the reprisals.

In his reaction, President of the Civil Rights Congress, Mallam Shehu Sani, described as most unfortunate the wave of violence that engulfed the state.

Sani, while urging Christians and Muslims to sheathe their swords and embrace peace, said in his statement entitled, ‘A call for peace’:  “I wish to call on all Muslims and Christians in the state to sheathe their swords, eschew violence, resist the temptation to attack or carry out reprisal and embrace peace.

“We must overcome this with the power of reason and courage. We must shun divisive acts and provocative and inciting onslaught. Enough blood has been shed here and other places and we must not add to the tally.”

Meanwhile, the 24-hour curfew is still in force; and government has directed the law enforcement agents to ensure that residents complied with it.

At the moment, the state is still a ghost city as residents remain indoors due to the heavy presence of armed soldiers, mobile policemen  and other  security agencies.

Culled.....Punch