A government official has disclosed two hundred and twenty two people were killed in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria between April and June 2021, .
Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna, added that 774 people were kidnapped in the period.
The commissioner revealed this on Tuesday when he presented the Security Incidents Report for the second quarter of 2021 to Governor Nasir el-Rufai at the Government House in Kaduna.
He explained that the deaths were due to kidnappings, banditry, communal clashes and other criminal activities.
He said that of the 222 deaths, Kaduna Central and South senatorial zones recorded 159 and 54 deaths respectively while Kaduna North had nine.
According to him, 8,553 cattle were rustled during the period under review.
Meanwhile, gunmen have reportedly laid siege on several communities in Atyap land, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna and killed 33 people.
The Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU), in a statement by its spokesman, My Luka Binniyat, said the bandits stormed Magamiya village on Monday around 11pm, started shooting sporadically before attacking the family compound of the traditional ruler of Atyap Chiefdom, Agwatyap of Atyap Chiefdom, Sir Dominic Yahaya.
“Several blocks of flats and rooms that make up the family compound of five households were looted of valuables and foodstuffs were carted into four waiting Hilux vans before the houses were then set ablaze and a relative of the revered traditional ruler, Mr. Toma Tauna, 70, was killed by the assailants,” he said.
“They went further to loot six more homes which they also burned, leaving Mathew Pama, 62, dead in the same village. After putting in about two hours of unchallenged shooting, looting and arson, the bandits attempted to burn down St Pious Catholic Church in the village, but help came from other villages and attackers retreated in the Hilux vans for another village.”