Kaduna killings: Protesting nude women block governor’s convoy

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Nude women who were apparently angered by the recent killings of over 50 persons in their villages, in their hundreds thronged out yesterday to protest before the convoy of Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero in Sanga local government of Kaduna State.

Governor Yero was on a visit to the victims of the recent attacks in Fadan Karshi area of Sanga Local Government Area of the state to sympathize and condole them over the recent killings in the community.

The governor who was accompanied by entire State Security Council, Speaker of the State Assembly and the Senator representing Kaduna South, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman  and other political stalwarts from the Southern Kaduna,  first  visited the chief of the Numana whose palace has being turned to refugees camp for internally displaced persons.

The nude women however blocked his convoy to register their grievances. They accused the state government of negligence in protecting their lives and properties.

The women in their hundreds dressed in black attires with some of them half nude, booed and threw objects at the long convoy of Governor in Fadan Karshi, an area in Sanga Local Government Council.

The women were angry that after not less than 7 attacks on their villages, in which not less than 300 villagers were killed since last July, the governor had not visited the place until a few weeks to the primary elections.

One of the Protesters, and a Widow who had her husband killed in one of the attacks, Mrs. Anna said she is willing to die now before the governor.

 According to her, “I never believe we have a governor in Kaduna State, with all the continued killing nothing has been done to protect us, and he is coming now after 7 attacks to visit us, we don’t need him here,” she retorted.

The National President of Ninzom Progressive Youths in the local government area, Mr. Bezard Wuyah, told reporters in Kaduna about the visit of the governor to Karshin Daji and Fadan Karshi.

“The governor came with hundreds of soldiers, policemen, Roads Safety Corps, SSS, even with a detachment of Prison Guards. It was more of an invasion, not a condolence visit. Our mothers and sisters who were expecting a sober, caring governor were furious when they saw that it was as a form of intimidation against them so they don’t bare their minds on the negligence they had suffered since gunmen sacked their villages and rendered them homeless? That was why they were protesting and asking that the governor kills them so that they die and rest. They refused to be cowed,” he said.

However, Governor Yero had during the visit to some of the attacked areas commiserated with victims of the attack on the loses they suffered and condoled with families of those that lost loved ones in the attack.

The governor had earlier directed the State Emergency Management Agency to carry out assessment of properties destroyed and to provide relief items to the displaced persons.

He promised that government will take proactive measures towards ensuring the safety and security of people in the State.

Security situation at the affected community has stabilised with deployment of operatives in the area.

The governor therefore called on the people to avoid taking laws in their own hands as government is working in collaboration with security agencies to maintain law and order.