18 arrested over Kaduna unrest
Security agencies in Kaduna have arrested 18 persons over the unrest in Kabala West and Ungwan Muazu parts of the metropolis.
There was tension in Kabala West in Kaduna South local government area of Kaduna State on Monday morning when the dead body of a man alleged to have been involved in a fight on Sunday night was found in a river in the area.
A Kaduna State Government statement said security agencies arrested the hoodlums around the two communities following reports of threats to law and order.
Security patrols in the areas continue.
Samuel Aruwan, spokesperson to Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, confirmed the arrests, adding that the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
Our correspondent gathered that the deceased was attacked by some young men at the Naija Bet viewing centre in the area where he went to watch the premier league match between Arsenal FC and Man United around 5:30pm.
Another account said the yet to be identified man escorted his girlfriend home and was attacked outside her house in the area.
Mobile police men have since been drafted to the area to ensure peace and order and avoid break down of law and order.
A witness, Abdulahi Yahaya, who was also there to watch the match, said, “The deceased came out of the centre holding two big phones when four young boys started harassing him. They collected one of his phones and continued harassing him. They later pinned him to the wall and collected his other handset. One of the boys pulled out a knife and the deceased picked up a stick. They stabbed him severally before they left the viewing centre with his two phones.”
Another witness, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “Youth in the area stormed Jimmy Street, a popular hangout for area boys in Rigasa on a reprisal attack and crisis broke.”
He attributed the problem to drugs, poverty and unemployment and called on the government to as a matter of urgency engage the youth in order to stop the time bomb of youth waiting to explode.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Aliyu Usman said there was a problem with some miscreants in the area and the police calmed the area.
He did not however confirm the number of people killed or injured in the crisis and what lead to the problem.
The Kaduna government also dismissed stories making the round on social media that the crisis has escalated to other parts of Kaduna town. The government warned those peddling false stories to desist.
Similarly, 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 on 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.