26 Oct 2018 | 06:25 PM UTC
Nigeria: 24-hour curfew reinstated in Kaduna Oct. 26 /update 3
Government reinstates 24-hour curfew hours after local leader killed October 26; heightened security measures anticipated
Event
The Kaduna State Government reinstated an indefinite 24-hour curfew in Kaduna city, Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru, Kateri, and Kachia beginning on Friday, October 26 at 11:00 (local time). The curfew was reinstated in response to the death of a prominent leader of the Adara community on October 26, following his abduction on October 19. Further security measures can be expected in the near-term. Nevertheless, additional intercommunal clashes, violence between militants and security forces, and protests cannot be ruled out.
Context
The Kaduna state imposed an indefinite 24-hour curfew on Sunday, October 21, in Kaduna city and its surroundings after intercommunal clashes Kasuwan Magani (Kaduna State) on October 18 killed 55 people. On Thursday, October 25, the Kaduna state government relaxed a curfew in the town of Kaduna.
Ethnic and sectarian clashes are common in Nigeria. Central Nigeria and adjacent areas have become the scene of almost daily clashes between farmers and the largely nomadic herders in a battle for land and resources. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recently reported that murder rates linked to ethnic violence in Nigeria are higher than those related to terrorism - also a major security concern in the country. As many as ten people died in Kasuwan Magani following violent clashes between rival youth groups in February 2018.
Advice
Individuals in Kaduna state are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities. The security environment in Nigeria is complex and is particularly concerning in the northeast and extreme south of the country due to the presence of armed groups, high crime rates, and the risk of kidnapping. Some Western governments consequently advise against travel to certain areas of the northeast (e.g. states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Jigawa, and Kano states) and the southern Niger Delta region (e.g. states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers). It is also advisable to avoid nonessential travel to Zamfara, Sokoto, Plateau, and Kaduna states. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to travel to these areas.
