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| IGP, Mohammed Abubakat |
IT was a bloodbath yesterday in Dogodawa, Birnin-Gwari Local
Government Area of Kaduna State as gunmen opened fire on worshippers returning
to their homes after the Muslim early
morning prayers, killing 20 of them.
Birnin-Gwari, is a few
kilometers away from Kaduna, the state capital.
An eyewitness said that the attackers might be on a reprisal
attack after one of them was identified
by the villagers.
He added that the attackers
had sent a letter to the community that they were coming to
attack the village earlier before Sunday.
However, the Kaduna State Police Command said only 12 people were killed by the attackers.
Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, said that it was a reprisal attack by some
robbers, adding that only 12 people were killed while the villagers killed two
of the criminals.
He also denied that people were killed in a Mosque at
Dogodawa Village, saying: “From what I
heard, some villagers arrested armed robbers. Then some robbers came back today
(Sunday) and killed 12 people in a reprisal attack while the villagers killed
two of them. The rumour going on that 20 people were killed while coming from mosque is not true but I will get back to you
when I get full details. Thank you.”
He said that his men had moved to the scene of the incident
for investigation.
The Commissioner had earlier told our correspondent: “We cannot ascertain the number of people
killed for now, and moreover, we cannot say what or who was responsible for the
attack.
“Some people are saying the attackers were Fulani herdsmen
who were probably on reprisal attack, but the question is, what reprisal
attack? So, my men have moved to the scene to get details of the incident. We
couldn’t get immediate information from the area because the network there is
very poor, but as soon as we get the details and number of people killed, we
will let you know.”
But a source, who crave for anonymity, said: “Sometimes ago,
there were series of robbery in the area, especially along the Kaduna/ Birnin
Gwari Highway. Some women were even raped in the process. So, a committee was
set up to help find out those responsible and put an end to it. The committee
did a good job as it was able to identify some of those responsible for the
robbery and other criminal activities in the area.
“A former hakimi (District Head) in Dogo Dawa was in charge
of the committee that was responsible for sanitising the area and that was why,
in the last three months, there was no robbery in the area as the people were
able to identify the criminals and they were being eliminated silently one
after the other.
“The criminal must have fled the village when they
discovered that they no longer have a base there.
“But this morning, the criminals came back and went to the
house of the man they suspected to be responsible for identifying them, killed
him and two of his children and cut the hand of his wife. They also killed
17other people in the village. I learnt that those people they killed were just
coming from the early morning prayers.
“I can confirm to you
that it was not a robbery operation, but it was the criminals themselves that
came for a reprisal attack because the people have been identifying them.”
He said the attackers stormed the village, shooting and
stabbing anyone in sight.
Information Commissioner, Saidu Adamu, said a gang of
robbers, who have been terrorising the area, are likely to have carried out the
attack.
A traditional ruler, Abdullahi Muhammad, said: "We are
suspecting a reprisal attack by gangs of armed robbers who lost some of their
members after a recent exchange of fire with the villagers and the vigilantes.
"The village had been terrorised by an armed group
operating from camps in the forest. These armed men mostly attack villages and
motorists along the busy Kaduna to Lagos Highway."
Some community leaders said they had informed the police
that they had been warned, in writing, of a revenge attack - but that the
police did nothing before yesterday's attack.
The Nigerian Compass
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