Boko Haram Takes Over 500 Communities in 8 Wards of Shiroro LGA

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect has taken over 500 communities in eight wards of Shiroro Local Government of Niger State.

This is just as not less than 10 people have been killed and an unknown number of others reportedly slaughtered in some communities in neighbouring Munya Local Government Area of the state.

The latest development also came six months after Governor Abubakar Sani Bello raised the alarm that Boko Haram elements had hoisted their flag in Kaure Village of the same local government area.

The incident in Shiroro Local Government Area was confirmed by the Chairman of the council Mr. Sulaiman Chikuba while that of Munya council which occurred on Thursday this week was corroborated by the council Secretary, Mr. James Isaac Jagaba. The two officials spoke to journalists in Minna yesterday.

Chikuba named the affected wards as Manta, Gurmana, Bassa-Kokki, Allawa, Kurebe, Kushaka, Kwati, Chukumba explaining that the Boko Haram elements were already recruiting villagers and equipping them to fight against the government.

“As the Chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, I can tell you that Shiroro is not only dealing with the issue of banditry, Shiroro has a lot of Boko Haram, I have proof of this as the chairman,” Chikuba said, adding that “Boko Haram has proclaimed that they do not want conventional primary and secondary schools, their only preference is the Islamic school.

“They have told the people that they do not want primary or secondary schools in the communities and that they only want to see Islamic schools. They have been trying to incorporate and recruit the residents of the communities to become their members, telling them that they will give them arms and assist them in fighting the government,” Chikuba explained.

The chairman therefore appealed to the federal government to bring in more security personnel to help in dislodging the Boko Haram elements who have already made Shiroro their “home”.

Narrating what happened at Kachiwe community the council secretary said: “the entire community was wiped out, the bandits took their time to set all the houses and barns ablaze before leaving with some women.”

Jagaba said the raid by the bandits was carried out with the insurgents riding on motorcycles and driving some cars adding that “The bandits set all the houses ablaze, burnt 10 people alive, abducted 10 women and slaughtered the others.

“After carrying out their atrocious act, they met two people on the way out whose vehicles broke down, they stopped and killed those two people and burnt their vehicles. In the process, three of the abducted women escaped and the bandits went with the remaining seven women,” Jagaba said.

The secretary further disclosed that the bandits after the operation at Kachiwe moved to Shapè Village under the Sarki Pawa ward where they slaughtered nine people while others in the community took to their heels pointing out that they (bandits) also killed seven people in Gogope ward.

Jagaba lamented that the bandits were successful in their dastardly act because of lack of communication which made it impossible for them to contact the security teams in the areas before pleading with the government to restore the communication network to the local government area.

The police have not confirmed the two incidents.