El-Rufai replies doubting Thomases, 130 people, not 66 were killed in Kajuru

ABUJA, Nigeria – Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai has said that 130 people, and not 66 people were killed on the eve of the postponed Presidential election in Kajuru Local Government.

El-Rufai made the clarification while speaking with state house correspondents in Abuja, following condemnation of the incident with many alleging that El-Rufai who declared curfew after the incident, used  it to pull a stunt so that election in his state will hold on a separate date to enable him mobilise security forces to rig the election in his favour.

But the governor  said that based on the security briefings he has received, the actual number of those killed was 130 and not 66, he said, adding that those who doubted the killing are “grossly irresponsible.”

“Only irresponsible and insensitive people can recklessly dismiss the deaths of members of a community with whom they have no contact”, he said adding that the latest report shows that over 130 were killed, not even 66.

He said that government of a state cannot be detained by parochial, ethno-religious, partisan or electoral calculations from doing its duty to provide security, he said adding that it takes steps to reassure affected communities and ensure that perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.”

El-Rufai has last Friday issued a statement through his aide that 66 people were killed. See story here