North on fire:Kaduna re-imposes 24-hour curfew
Curfew in Kaduna
Just 10 hours after relaxing the 24 hours curfew to 12 hours, the Kaduna state government has reverted to the 24-hour curfew, following tension occasioned by rumours of attacks yesterday in Kaduna town.
The rumours started on Monday night, when there were reports of renewed hostilities in Barnawa area which had earlier occurred around 5pm. Thereafter, the rumour mill was abuzz with stories that the 24-hour curfew had been re- imposed.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Patrick Yakowa on Media, Mr Reuben Buhari, told our correspondent that the 12-hour curfew was still subsisting.
Throughout Monday night, there were rumours of attacks in Makera, Nasarawa and Barnawa, but Blueprint investigations revealed that there was no truth in the stories.
A resident of Makera told this reporter on Monday night that there were rumours that Christians were coming to attack the area. “Some people went to a mosque and called for prayers and residents came out to ward off possible attackers,” the resident said.
Similarly, a woman in Nasarawa told Blueprint that they heard gunshots and rumour had it that Muslims were coming from Unguwar Muazu to avenge the deaths of their people which occurred during the reprisal attacks on Sunday, following the bombing of Shalom Church at Dirkaniya.
Yesterday morning, most shops remained closed and students did not go to school for fear of the unknown. Thereafter, the rumour mill began again and the people that ventured to go out for their usual businesses started running helter-skelter.
Rumour had it that riots had broken out at Kabala. When this reporter asked some residents of the area, they said that it was at Unguwar Mu’azu further down, that the crisis erupted again. The people of the area also said that they heard that fight was raging at Tudun Wada.
Similarly, it was rumoured that some people were killed around Yoruba Road. Speaking to Blueprint, Malam Ibrahim Musa, editor of Almizan newspaper, told our reporter that nothing of such happened.
According to him, a suspected criminal was pursued by soldiers and he took refuge in their office, unknown to them. “The soldiers came and forcefully took him away,” he said, adding that “the sight of soldiers made people to start running.”
Elsewhere, reports indicated that crisis had started in Malali, but as at the time of filing this report, this information had not been verified.
Filed Under: News
