Uneasy Calm Returns To Runji Sakwab Community After Mass Burial Of 33 Person Killed By Bandits

Normalcy has returned to Runji Sakwab Community in Atyap Chiefdom of Zango Kataf Local Government Area Kaduna State after the mass burial of 33 persons killed by bandits on Saturday Night.

Radio Nigeria gathered that the 33 persons were gruesomely murdered in their sleep and their houses set ablaze while 19 of the corpses were burnt beyond recognition.

Speaking at the mass burial ceremony, the Local Government Chairman, Mr. Francis Sani Zimbo expressed shock over the incident, saying it was an unprovoked attack on the people.

He said Runji Sankwab was the third community in series of attacks within a span of less than 30 days in the Atyap communities and the Local Government has held several security meetings to unveil reasons and possible solutions to why the carnage was going on but to no avail.

According to Mr. Zimbo the Local Government hands are tight because there was no option left for them except to seek for solutions and help outside their scope through the help of the media.

The National President, Atyap Community Development Association Comrade Timbwak Samuel Achie, called on the whole Atyap community to unite and defend themselves whenever faced with such genocidal threats.

He also appealed for assistance from Nigeria and international bodies to the affected persons because their houses about 40 of them were burnt to ashes while valuables and food items also destroyed.

Performing the mass burial rites, the Local Government Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Jacob Kwashi urged government to live up to its responsibility of protecting lives and properties.

Bishop Kwashi therefore prayed for the reposed of the lives of those that died and prayed for quick recovery of those who sustained various degrees of injuries and were in critical conditions.

Reacting on Radio Nigeria on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Mohammed Jalige said men of the security operatives have since been deployed to the area to ensure such carnage does not re-occur.

Earlier in a statement signed by the state commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan described the incident as unacceptable and unjustifiable

The State Governor Mallam Nasiru Elrufai in the statement condoled with the families that lost their loved ones and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls.

Cover/Shindong Bala