NEWS
SOKAPU raises alarm as Fulani Herdsmen unleash mayhem, kill 33, burnt 215 houses, displace 108 communities
Modupe Asudo with Agency Reports
ABUJA-THE Southern Kaduna Peoples Union,SOKAPU has raised the alarm as suspected Fulani herdsmen unleash further mayhem for the sixth day on communities in Zango-Kataf Local Government Area.
“Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have laid siege in Atyap communities in the Zango-Kataf Local Government Area, killing no fewer than 33 persons.
ongoing chaos in a displaced community
The organisation also said 108 communities had been displaced in the southern part of Kaduna State.
SOKAPU’s spokesperson, Mr Luka Binniyat said this in a statement titled, ‘The Ongoing Genocide in Southern Kaduna,’ on Tuesday.
Binniyat said on Monday some bandits invaded Magamiya village also in the Zango-Kataf LGA.
He added that the men invaded the compound of the paramount ruler of the Atyap community, Dr Dominic Yahaya, and many blocks of flats were razed.
The statement reads in part, “For the sixth day running, armed men, identified as Fulani herdsmen by victims, lay siege to several communities in Atyap land, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna and left about 33 people dead in an ongoing genocide and land grabbing in which 108 Southern Kaduna communities have been displaced and taken over by them since 2019.
“In the latest orgy of bloodshed, the invaders stormed Magamiya village, last night (Monday) around 11pm and started shooting.
“The family compound of the traditional ruler of Atyap Chiefdom, Agwatyap of Atyap Chiefdom, Sir Dominic Yahaya, was attacked. Several blocks of flats and rooms that make up the family compound of five households were looted of valuables and foodstuffs which were carted into four waiting Hilux vans.
“The houses were then set ablaze. A relation of the revered traditional ruler, Mr. Toma Tauna, 70, was killed by the assailants.
“They went further to loot six more homes which they also burnt, leaving Mathew Pama, 62, dead in the same village.
“After putting in about two hours of unchallenged murder, looting and arson, they armed herdsmen attempted to burnt down St. Pious Catholic Church in the village, but help came from other villages and attackers retreated.
“Magamiya is about three kilometres from Zangon Kataf semi-urban town where combined troops of soldiers and other security men are camped with patrol vehicles and armoured tanks.
“They same assailants returned and passed besides Zango Kataf town and drove 5km west of the town and attacked three other villages from around 1.30am this morning (Tueday.) In the attacks, 156 homes in Matyei were all burnt.”
It added, “The Catholic Church in Matei was burnt. The Catchiest, simply known as Catchiest Yau, and an infant, were killed in the attack. In all, eight persons were killed.
“The armed Fulani herdsmen then went down to Abuyab Community about 500 metre away and burnt down ECWA Church, Abuyab, and the home of a former ECOMOG Commander, Maj. Gen. Shekari Billyok (retd) and 11 homes. Their attempt to attack Runji community, nearby was repelled by villagers who got reinforcement elsewhere.
“Yesterday (Monday), before the night attacks occurred, the same armed herdsmen attacked the Atyap of Makarau and Kachechere Communities leaving 10 people confirmed dead, while 12 were houses burnt.
“In a nutshell, 20 Atyap natives were killed by attackers (who all the villagers that saw them) identified as armed herdsmen between Monday afternoon and today, Tuesday, 13 July, 2021.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached as a call put to his telephone rang out.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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