Thousands of residents have fled their homes in Ninzo, Nandu, Gwantu and Gwandara communities in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, North West Nigeria following the killing of over 160 people by suspected Fulani herdsmen in June.
The attack comes barely two months after Deputy Inspector General of Police, Michael Zuokumor, mediated a peace deal between the warring Fulani herdsmen and Southern Kaduna natives, where both parties agreed to sheathe their swords and live together in peace.
According to reports, more than 26,000 residents of the affected villages are presently displaced and many of them have fled to neighbouring communities in Plateau, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory.
Those who spoke to journalists in the areas said they are tired of the frequent attacks by suspected Fulani gunmen on their people and can no longer stay back for fear of further attacks since they do not trust security forces sent to protect them, insisting that they will only return once the area is safe.
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on the 24th of June, 2014 killed over 160 people and destroyed several houses in seven villages in Sanga local government area of Kaduna State.
Addressing the State Deputy Governor, Mr Nuhu Bajoga, when he visited some of the affected communities, the District Head of Nando, Elisha Umoru and the paramount ruler of Numan Chiefdom, who spoke in Hausa, called on the Federal and State Governments to station a permanent security post in the area to prevent further attacks and give the people the confidence to come back to their communities.
On his part, the Deputy Governor, dumbfounded by the level of destruction of lives and property in the affected communities along with the senator representing Southern Kaduna in the National Assembly, Mrs Nenadi Usman, assured the people that government will put adequate security in place to curtail further attacks, and appealed to those that have ran away from their homes for fear of further attacks to come back and continue with their normal life.
He also called on the people not to take the law into their hands and contemplate any revenge.
The attack has thrown so many children out of school, and also disrupted farming activities in the area as many of the locals are predominantly farmers.