Kaduna—Fulani community in Kaduna State has blamed the incessant attacks on minority Christians in the state on Fulani from Niger Republic.

A representative of Fulani in Kamuru and former Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Alhaji Abdulmalik Durunguw, said this at a peace and reconciliatory meeting between Ikulu communities made up of Bajju, Fulani and Hausa, at the Kamuru palace of Agwom Akulu, HRH Yohanna Kukah.

This is coming on the heels of the post-presidential election violence which led to the death of over 850 people in some parts of the North.

Kamuru in Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area is about 150 kilometres South of Kaduna metropolis.

The area was among the places affected by the post-election violence, where some houses belonging to some Hausa/Fulani were torched by Ikulu natives, leading to the exodus of the non-natives to various refugee camps across Kaduna State.

Durunguw spoke just as Kaduna State Government said it spends an average of N1.2 billion monthly, about N300 million weekly, for the maintenance of soldiers and other para-military personnel deployed for peace keeping in the state.

He said Fulani from Niger Republic normally infiltrate the state to carry out violent attacks on innocent people in Kaduna, pointing out that in some cases their fellow Fulani’s cattle were stolen by the invaders.

According to him, the Fulani in Kamuru were herdsmen who had never been involved in partisan politics and as such had no business with the violence associated with politics.

He said: “As far as Fulani in Southern Kaduna are concerned, none of them can attack another ethnic group. We the Fulani in Southern Kaduna have no power to arrest these invading Fulani from the Niger Republic.

’’But any time we see them, we report to the police. I found my cows that were stolen from Southern Kaduna in Bauchi State and the thieves are Fulani that came here from Niger Republic.

’’They used the crises as cover to steal our cows and even kill our own people.”

However, the Principal Private Secretary, PPS, to Governor Patrick Yakowa, Mr. Yohanna Allahmagani, said the government spent an average of N300 million weekly in feeding and other allowances of soldiers and other security agencies, including the police and the State Security Services, SSS, providing security in the state since April.

He said insecurity in the state was a huge drain on the lean resources of the state, as so much was needed to maintain the personnel involved in enforcing the peace.

He said: “From Zaria to Kafanchan, you see military men. The state government pays each one of them daily. ‘We spend N300 million every week on their allowances and other logistics. Imagine what N300 million can do for this community.

’’I am calling on all those who have left their homes to return. In all of Southern Kaduna, Ikulu chiefdom is noted for peace.

’’What happened in Kamuru was not violence. Some people had their homes vandalised and some may have sustained injuries while running away. But we all know that no one was killed here.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/kaduna-fulani-blame-violence-on-niger-republic/