Kaduna State Government has released a report saying at least 937 people died in violent attacks and mass atrocities in the State in 2020.
The report, which was released Wednesday, attributed the deaths to kidnappings, banditry and other criminal activities that cut “across all ethnic and religious groups” in the State.
Details of the report were presented by the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.
He said, “Victims of criminal acts like banditry and kidnapping are to be found across ethnic, religious or political leanings and persuasions.”
Aruwan, in his presentation, stated that of the 937 killed, Igabi Local Government Area recorded the highest number of casualties (152), followed by Kajuru Local Government Area with 144 casualties.
He added that Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa and Chikun local governments in Kaduna central accounted for about 50 per cent (or 468 deaths) of the entire fatalities in the state.
The Commissioner said, “The Southern senatorial district account for 286 deaths, which is about one third of the total due in large part due in large part to sporadic clashes, alongside banditry which triggered attacks and counter-attacks, especially between June and November 2020.”
He further said that out of 1,972 persons kidnapped in the period under review, Kaduna central senatorial district accounts for 1,561 and out of the total , 1,461 were kidnapped within Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Giwa and Chikun local government areas.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, while receiving the report said the state has been using its limited resources to address the security challenges facing it.
El-Rufai paid tribute to the victims of insecurity, reiterating his administration’s effort in protecting lives and properties of the people of the state and to stop all criminals.
He said, “the Kaduna State Government has also invested in technology to help secure the state,” the governor said adding that “A CCTV network is being deployed in Kaduna metropolis while options for consistent operations of its drones are being explored.’’
