Kaduna government imposes 24-hour curfew on Kafanchan

Some herdsmen were arrested with arms in the area.

The Kaduna State Government has announced the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

The curfew was imposed after a Wednesday morning protest by some youth.

The youth were protesting the arrest of some Fulani herdsmen, allegedly armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, along Kafanchan-Kaduna road by security officials. They demanded the release of the suspects to them.

A resident of Kafanchan, Zubairu Kantiyok, told PREIUM TIMES that the youth were protesting that security operatives free the herdsmen for lynching.

The suspects, about 22 of them, were said to be travelling in a truck on the Kaduna-Kafanchan road.

“The youth were angry because they believe the Fulanis that were intercepted by the security operatives are coming to Kafanchan to kill their people. As you know, not quite long, some villages in nearby Kaura were attacked by the Fulanis and they virtually killed everybody in the villages,” Mr. Kantiyok said.

In the statement announcing the curfew, Governor Ramalan Yero called on dwellers of the area to remain calm and law abiding as the government is doing all within its powers to sustain peace in the state.

The statement was signed by the Director General, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Ahmed Maiyaki.

The governor asked residents to desist from taking the laws into their hands so as to avoid throwing the state into confusion and anarchy.

“We want to assure the entire people of Kaduna State that in our resolve to end the spate of unwarranted attacks on innocent citizens, Government will continue to work with security agencies to ensure that those behind the various killings in the state are brought to justice. This will be vigorously pursued without fear or favour,” the governor said.

Mr. Yero called on Kaduna residents to remain calm and peaceful while they go about their lawful businesses.