*Alleges clear cuts assassins
*Tasks security agencies to bring perpetrators to book
*Urges residents to remain calm pending outcome of investigation.
By Gabriel Udeh, Kaduna
The Southern Kaduna Peace Practitioners Network (SOKIPEP), has strongly condemned the killings of the district head of Gidan Zaki Village in Zangon Kataf Local Government Council of Kaduna State, Mr Haruna Kuyet and his son by some unknown criminal elements in the early hours of today.
In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, the SOKIPEP lamented that the killers also left a life- threatening injuries on the monarch’s wife following severe machete attack on her.
The peace building group, in a statement issued on Monday morning by its National Coordinator, Rev. Dauda Fadia, described the latest development coming at a time peace had returned to the once troubled area, as callous, insensitive and reprehensible.
While condoling the families of the deceased, the people of Southern Kaduna and the Government of Kaduna State over the development, the group charged security agencies to go all out in fishing the culprits with a view to facing the law.
It called on the people of the area to remain calm, saying security agencies are capable of unravelling the culprits.
According to the group, it was impossible to rule out cases of clear cut assassinations, given the modus operandi of the killers who it noted, carried out their action in hooded form.
Describing the late monarch as a peace lover, SOKIPEP, while wondering the intention of the assailants, tasked the security agencies to probe the killings with neutrality, with the view to bringing the culprits to book.
“The intention of the attackers is yet unknown to us even as we are compelled to believe that their premeditated action was intended to cause ethno-religious disharmony in our area,” the organisation said in the statement.
The statement read in full:” We received with rude shock the barbaric, inhuman, retrogressive, and isolated dastardly attack and gruesome killings of the district head of Gidan Zaki village in Zangon Kataf Local Government Council of Kaduna State, Mr Haruna Kuyet, his son and machete attack of his wife by some criminal elements.
“We condole with the families, community and Zango Kataf Local Government Area of kaduna State over this development. Our hearts go to the family, community and the entire Zango Kataf people. We pray for the repose of their souls.
“This callous and insensitive action is reprehensible. It is regrettable that this came at a time peace had returned to the area. “The intention of the attackers is yet unknown to us even as we are compelled to believe that their premeditated action was intended to cause ethno-religious disharmony in our area.”This is so,given that the attackers, according to our findings carried out their dastardly act in hooded form.
“We wish to further state that all evidence and information available to us are pointing to the fact that the killings are clear cases of assassinations.
“While not trying to indict or exonerate anyone, we call on the security agencies to probe these killings thoroughly. The probe must start from the community to the outside world. They should not be swayed by any statement which may be issued by some fifths columnists and crisis entrepreneurs to divert their attention from the crime to a particular tribe or religion just to cover their evil agenda. “Besides, we task the security agencies to probe the killings with neutrality, with the view to bringing the culprits to book.
“The district head was a peace maker who whose reign we adjudged to be fair and just to all. He was known for his uprightness and sincerity and so did not deserve to die in the manner his attackers killed him and his lovely son. Their deaths must not be in vain.
“All hands must be on deck to track and arrest the killers and soon, too.
