Buhari, Saraki React

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, on Sunday evening announced an immediate 24-hour curfew on the capital city and its environment, followed the killing of 55 people in yet another communal violence in the state.
The governor, while urging residents to comply with the directive, said the decision was “taken in the best interest of the state.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the violence, President Muhammadu Buhari described the violence as “condemnable.”
He ordered the Policy “to do everything possible to restore calm,” adding that “a Special Intervention Force has been deployed to flash-points, and the IG (Inspector-General of Police) will provide regular updates.”
The disregard for the sanctity of human life, the President continued, “is unacceptable. Violence is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good,” he said, urging “community leaders and citizens to choose dialogue, patience and tolerance to prevent crises from escalating into violence.”
He promised cooperation with the Kaduna State Government and community leaders to ensure full restoration of peace and security to the capital city of Nigeria’s old Northern Region.
The violence reportedly started on Thursday.
Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, confirmed the number of death in a telephone interview on Sunday, according to Reuters, saying the clashes started between two communities in the Kasuwan Magani area of southern Kaduna.
He said there have so far been 22 arrests, but did not give details on the cause of the conflict.
“Anybody that has a hand in this crisis must face the full wrath of law,” said Abdur-Rahman, adding that a curfew in Kasuwan Magani imposed by the state government on Thursday had helped to calm the situation.
Earlier on Saturday, the Presidency, in a statement by Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, while condemning the violence in a statement, expressed worry at “the frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully.”
Also commenting, Senate President Bukola Saraki while suing for peace and urging all to adhere to the curfew already imposed and rather than contributing to the perpetration of violence, described “pictures and reports coming out of Kaduna State (as) quite troubling.”
He urged security agencies to work round the clock and restore order in the state, doing “everything within the law to apprehend all those that have contributed or promoted this recent cycle of bloodshed.”

Pix Caption: Kaduna violence