Map of Kaduna State
Eyewitnesses claim that soldiers opened fire on the cattle, leading to the deaths of at least three people as traders fled for safety.
Shehu Sabon Birnin, a local resident, claimed some of the soldiers involved were on motorcycles. He expressed concern that the carcases of the cows left at the scene are constituting health hazards to residents as they decompose, polluting the environment.
“It was a horrific scene when the soldiers arrived at the market some of them on motorcycles and started shooting the animals. Two people were killed in the chaos,” Sabon Birnin said.
“Now, over 100 dead cows are scattered within the market, and nearby houses are overwhelmed by the stench. We are still unsure of why the soldiers took such drastic action.”
There was no official statement from the state government or the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army.
The spokesperson of the division, Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, did not respond to calls for comment. Similarly, the Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan could not be reached as his phone was unavailable.
