Tension in Kaduna as mob lynched suspected thief to death

…18 arrested, as crisis escalates

There was pandemonium in Kaduna metropolis on Monday morning, as angry mob were said to have lynched to death, a man suspected to have burgled a house the previous night in Kabala West area of the city.

Security agencies have however arrested 18 persons suspected to have been involved in the unrest that followed the lynching in Kabala West and Ungwan Muazu.

A Kaduna State Government statement said that security agencies arrested the hoodlums around the two communities following reports of threats to law and order.

The Nation gathered that, the incident started around Kaje street of Kabala West on Sunday, but it led to serious fracas between youths of two neighboring communities of Kabala West and Ungwan Muazu on Monday.

Accordingly to an eyewitness account, the incident which occurred on Sunday evening led to fracas on Monday morning between two groups suspected to be for and against the alleged thief that was lychned to death by angry mob.

This development caused tension around the city, as many drivers, passing through Kaduna had to divert to another routes from Nnamdi Azikiwe bypass, western side of the city.

The protesting groups were seen throwing sharp objects at each other as well as at other passersby.

Another eyewitness account said, “Some of us cannot go back home since we managed to escape from the area in the morning because soldiers and police have blocked the roads leading to our houses.

“Those residents that left for work in the morning have to call back home to their families to remain indoor while those that have left the house are asked to look for a safer place within the city centre and stay.

“It is unfortunate that people are linking the fracas to religion, but I want to tell you that it has nothing to do with religion at all,  a thief was lychned to death and his so called friends decided to take law into their hands.

“We are however happy that security people intervened immediately, and the situation is returning to normalcy as I speak to you”.

Spokesperson to Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Samuel Aruwan while confirming the arrests of the suspects, said they will be charged to court as soon as the investigations are concluded.

Aruwan dismissed stories making the round on social media that the crisis has escalated to other parts of Kaduna town leading to the killing of a few person and others injured and warned those peddling false stories to desist.

According to him, “the state government has sent a high powered delegation to mediate between Kabala West and Ungwan Mu’azu communities. The delegation was led by Acting Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim Sani, the Special Adviser on Internal Security and Special Assistant Media and Publicity Samuel Aruwan.

“The delegation met with the leaderships of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), youth leaders, security agencies and traditional rulers of the two communities.

“At the end of the meeting, the two sides unanimously agreed that all those responsible for the unrest should be fished out and brought to justice. The delegation also commended all residents of the communities that collaborated with security agencies in containing the unrest that could have degenerated beyond the two communities.

“The meeting resolved that all communities will be proactive in reporting any suspicious movements or activities to security agencies, and that it is illegal to resort to self-help or any act that amounts to taking the law into their hands”.