Fear reigns in the city of Kaduna and its environs as residents believe that the deadly religious violence which erupted at Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru Local Government area last Thursday would yet explode.

That violence which claimed 55 lives and injured many was, according to eye witnesses, caused by a minor scuffle which arose when a suspected thief at the market place was beaten. It became something of a religious war as Muslims and Christians took different sides.

The fear that the violence could further erupt on a wider and deadlier scale is what has apparently led the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai to impose a 24-hour curfew on the city and its environs.

Even so,  many parts of the city look deserted. Major roads including  Ahmadu Bello Way, Sabo,  Barnawa, Maraba and Radio have all been deserted.

Also in the bid to curtail the violence, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris has deployed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Taiwo Lakanu, to lead a police intervention force to the state to ensure that normalcy returns. 

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday,  Idris said the police has deployed four Police Mobile Force (PMF) units, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Conventional policemen, Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), Intellegemce Response Team (IRT) and Technical Intelligence (TIU) among others.

He said their operations would cover the entire Kasuwan Magani and its environs and other flash spots in the state.

“The intervention force will be working in synergy with the Kaduna State Police Command to ensure that peace and normalcy returns to the area.

“To achieve success, the force will be proactive and strict in the enforcement of its mandate, police standard operations procedures and rules of engament,” Idris said.

He added that the force would carry out a 24-hour surveillance and patrol, stop and search, continuous raid of identified criminal hideouts and black spots in communities, towns, villages, vulnerable points as well as government and private infrastructure.

Military authorities have also deployed troops to the streets of Kaduna. Soldiers are also patrolling other possible flash points of violence in the state.