By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo 

The Zango Urban Development Association (ZUDA) has condemned the renewed attack on Atyap land and commiserated with them as well as praying for the repose of the dead and quick recovery of the injured.

Members of the association said when their attention was drawn to a World Press Conference by the Atyap Community Development Association (ACDA) led by its National President, Comrade Samuel T. Achie; dated 7th February 2022, they felt  It was  unfortunate that the National President hosted the World Press conference and said many things which in their opinion was their own side of the story. 

“We could have ignored him and went ahead with our plan of the statement but, certain allegations and mischief against our 

Community (Hausa Community of Zango Urban) made us to respond and state categorically our understanding of the entire conference and what it entails.”

“Let the world see these extracts from his statement which is our only area of concern in the entire Press Conference:

”…the next will be an attack on the land by the Fulani terrorist militias, who subsequently vanish without any trace of their where about. The ability of the attacking terrorists to disappear without any trace appears surprising..”

”That if peace is to be achieved, the Fulanis in Zango urban should be advised to leave as it is strange that the Hausas and the Fulanis who have never stayed together as is the case now. All sons and daughters of Atyap land believed that the Fulanis there either recruit or serve as 

guides to the perpetrators of these killings in our land. Whenever there is an attack and the attackers are pursued by our people, they ran into Zango for safety with the Hausas.”

Shehu Aminu, the National Chairman of Zango Urban Development Association, in a statement, explained that ” one would wonder why the contradiction in these statements and also think how someone who could “vanish without any trace of their where about” be pursued and be seen when they “ran into Zango for safety”. 

“Isn’t that laughable? There is more to this and, again as usual, something is about to happen which is already being justified before it does. But before then: First, we use this medium to condemn the barbaric act and pray that the innocent souls of the departed rest in perfect peace and also wish a quick recovery to all those who got injured. We also enjoin the government and the security agencies to do the needful and quickly look into this and act fast on all the prayers and wishes contained in the text presented by the ACDA National President at the World Press conference.”

He said “on the attacks of the Atyap people, let this be on record, and according to the Press Statement, the Hausas of Zango Urban are neither involved nor implicated and or alleged to have either carried out or participated in this dastardly act.”

“We cannot speak for the Fulanis but our expectation was that the Atyap people should have used the medium to say exactly what led to their renewed attack after some period of relative peace between them and their Fulani friends. We want to believe that there is no smoke without fire. At this juncture, we want to call on the government and the security agencies (who were joint in the accusation of the attacks) to make public their own side of the story and what brought about the carnage after their fruitful effort to return peace to the area that would give way for further discussion and mediation for a lasting peace in the area.”

“It is very shocking and surprising to us and the entire Hausa Community of Zango Urban that this World Press Conference by the ACDA President is coming at exactly 30 years of our invasion and attack by Katafs; the event that started the genocide and total annihilation of the Hausas in Zango till today.”