By Mohammad Tijjani
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police Ahmad Abdurrahman on Thursday assured all communities in Kajuru Local Government of equal treatment and protection in spite of recent killings in the area.
Abdurrahman who met with newsmen in Kaduna for update on the security situation in the area, said the police command was conducting thorough investigation on the crisis.
He explained that the killing of scores of Fulanis in the area was a retaliatory attack after suspected Fulani gunmen had killed some locals of Adara tribe.
He disclosed that the police had made arrest of suspects on both sides and is conducting “balanced investigation” to bring perpetrators of the two attacks to book.
“The Fulanis that came and attacked their neighbors and left, we are still pursuing them and one suspect has been arrested and we are working on him, though he denied being part of the incident.
“But with cooperation he will tell us where he came from and who connived with him to perpetrate the evil act.
“So to say that it is only one side that arrest and investigation is made is not true.”
The commissioner refused to be drawn into the actual number of deaths, saying it’s difficult to get the exact number of people killed in the second attack because of the terrain.
“This crises didn’t only occur in Barde, or Tantanu, and Iri itself is a conglomerate of hamlets and villages of which the terrain was very terrible. some areas were not motorable.
” We are still uncovering some areas which no journalist or military had even gone to.
“We are right now on post crises management period which is very difficult and nobody should stampede investigation.
“Right now if the governor tells you it is 200 bodies, he is just quoting figures, because it maybe more than that or less than that.
“For example, the areas that you visited where 36 bodies were buried was not under the purview of the security at the beginning of the investigation, so didn’t even know that something happened there until when the Fulani victims themselves came out crying.
” It was after we have secured the places with our military counterparts that they called on us and military to come and help them bury their relations and parents. That was when it was uncovered.
“As I said, figures in a crises of this magnitude should be left until all investigations has been finished and all areas we are getting figures are covered.
“As I am talking to you, my men are in the bush with SEMA and other civil society organisations and volunteers that feel that they should go and assist and find out the fact about happenings in the area.”
Abdurrahman urged the media to be part of efforts to finding lasting solutions to the recurring communal conflicts in the local government, assuring that the police would continue to “quench the fire, arrest and prosecute suspects.” (NAN)
