The Igbo community in Kaduna has cried out over some of their kinsmen still missing following the religious riot in Kasuwa Magani part of the state some weeks ago.
The Chairman, Igbo Community Welfare Association (ICWA), Kasuwan Magani chapter, Mr. Tobias Udeh told The Sun Newspaper that many members of the association have been missing since the crisis which led to loss of many lives, destruction of homes and business premises among others occured.
While regretting losses suffered by the Igbo residents of the community in the crisis, Udeh however said nobody from the South-east was killed by the rioters.
Udeh said, “As I speak to you, I cannot locate some of our people. We don’t know whether they have relocated to the East or to the neighboring communities.
“We are still searching for them. But all we know is that they are alive. We didn’t lose any Igbo man. But we don’t know their whereabouts. Many Igbo lost property worth hundreds of millions of naira.
“I personally lost millions of naira following the burning of my property. It was not quite long I received fresh supply that the place was set ablaze.
“On the day of the incident, I went to one village to buy chicken for the celebration of my birthday which I always mark on February 27 of every year. I left my house as early as 6:00a.m and by the time I returned around 9:00a.m, I discovered that my wife was not in the house. One of my children told me that she had travelled to Kaduna town to buy some items.
“I went to my shop where I operate patent medicine shop, and later went to the other shop where I do wholesale on soft drinks. I made sure that I put things in order for my workers every day before I go for other business.
“But after few minutes, I saw people running helter-skelter, and I asked my daughter what was the problem after I left the house in the morning?
“My daughter said that some people wanted to covert a Christian girl to Islam, and her parents did not want that and so they forced their daughter back home. She said there was commotion everywhere, and the youths started taking laws into their hands.
“So before we knew it, people started locking up their shops, schools were hurriedly closed, everybody was confused. I rushed back to the house and picked my car, drove to the school to pick my children. After picking them, I couldn’t drive back to the main road again because everywhere was blocked with bonfire by the rampaging youths. I took a bush path and drove straight to Kaduna and got my children to safety. I later made effort to return to Kasuwan Magani, but it became a go-no-area. I returned to Kaduna. I told my wife to remain in Kaduna and not contemplate of returning to Kasuwan Magani.”
“We did not take away a pin from the place. The place was looted before it was set ablaze. So many shops were burnt to ashes. I have been living in Kasuwan Magani for more than 30 years now, but I cannot explain why Igbo are always the target whenever incidents of this nature occur. Igbo people don’t have problem with anybody but they are always the big losers.
“My family is presently squatting with my sister in Kaduna. We are calling on government to come to our aid over this incident."