Ladduga: How a Controversial Settlement Became a Symbol of Southern Kaduna’s Security Crisis

By Mike Agwam

Ladduga is a land where the government acquired for the purpose of animal husbandry, covering 73, hectares of land which was forcefully taken away from the indigenous people of southern Kaduna to give Fulanis.

For those who may not be knowledgeable about the place, let me vividly give a description of the place, If you are traveling to southern Kaduna before reaching kachia there is railway crossing just some few meters before the rail line, there’s a feeder road that connects with the high way by the left hand side, it is this road that will lead you to Laduga.

No sooner government acquired this land it became a settlement area for the Fulanis, Fulani of all race came and settled in this place, the disturbing phenomenon is that little do southern Kaduna people knew that this town will metamorphosed to be the den of criminals and a safe haven for Fulani terrorists.

During Patrick Yakowa reign there was a time the military had an intelligent report about the activities of these criminals, they were all rounded up in the night in a stink operation by the military, where amongst those arrested was the leader of the community. He was found complicit.

Laduga is known for being a notorious place for harbouring Fulani terrorists, they moved in the night go to neighbouring town attack people in their sleep, massacre, burn their houses and disappear in thin and back to base, which is Laduga. There was a time the men doing this evil act went out and never returned and their women came out protesting asking where there husbands were.

It was in this condition that Elrufai came to power, having every security report about the place, instead of taking measures to end the horrendous activities of his people, he continue to fan their ego by elevating the local community leader to a District head. He did not stop at that, he acquired more land and added to Laduga community, I was informed that the vast portion of land he grabbed belongs to the Ikulu people. Their ancestral land.

Elrufai did everything humanly possible to defend the Fulani even telling lies that 150 Fulanis were killed by Adara youths and buried in a shallow grave, when investigated by the military it turnout it was a lie from the pit of hell.
Some of his people still praise him for dealing decisively with southern Kaduna people. “Ya ji wa arna”, meaning he has dealt with the infidel.