48 hours after Governor Nasir El-Rufai put the figure at 130, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdulrahman has said that the casualty figures of Kajuru killings is yet to be ascertained.
The police commissioner while briefing newsmen in Kaduna on Thursday, however, warned that, nobody should stampede investigations on the killings, adding that, “even if the governor tells you it is 200 bodies, he is just quoting figures, because it may be more than that or less than that.”
The Nation recalled that, Governor El-Rufai had last Friday said 66 persons were killed by unknown gunmen. However, later on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, El-Rufai said the casualty figure has risen to above 130.
The Police Commissioner, however, advised that, “figures in a crisis of this magnitude should be left until all investigations have been concluded.
According to him, “You cannot come up to quote a figure and you will say again later you will have to come and say it again. As far as the police is concerned, we are investigating, the investigation is still in embrayoic stage.
“You know Fulani’s don’t put their selves in one area and say this is our town. sometimes they live by family, community settings, by nucleus and extended family and that is how we have been gathering here and there that they are wiped out, some have ran away and some have been killed etc.”
He said police as professionals don’t come out with figures, except we are sure and until we conclude our investigation.
“So you can see that there is no reason for anyone to say this one said this figure and that one said another figure.
“That was why the number of casualty during the Kasuwan Magani varies between SEMA and police. Police said 55 bodies were recovered and SEMA said seventy something.
“My friends in media asked about the variation and I said the variation must be there because we the police are quenching the fire and making arrest of suspects and so. What we saw is what we will now say.” He said.