Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, has condemned in the strongest terms the killing of two herders by a mob in Birnin Gwari local government area of the state.
The commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement yesterday, said the security agencies reported that the mob forcefully seized the two herders from security personnel, on unsubstantiated claims that they were linked with banditry.
The statement noted that the mob then lynched and burnt the herders, even though they had not been found complicit in the allegations.
El-Rufai expressed deep concern at the violent actions of the mob, and strongly condemned the extra-judicial killings.
He reiterated the place of lawful methods as the only acceptable option in confronting any suspicions of criminality.
The governor appealed to the families of the victims to remain calm, and directed security agencies to conduct thorough investigations towards fishing out the perpetrators.
El-Rufai also directed the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to liaise with the military, police and DSS to contact the victims’ families for further engagements toward averting counter-attacks.
The governor cautioned against further self-help, and warned against dangerous stereotyping, labeling and similar lawless dispositions capable of stirring up violence.
