Bloodthirsty Terrorists Attack Kaduna Communities, Kill 23, Burn 70 Houses

•KDSG imposes 24-hour curfew on Jema’a, Kaura LGAs

•Gunmen raid Niger communities, kidnap 20 as state lists 4000 IDPs in Gwada

John Shiklam in Kaduna and Laleye Dipo in Minna

No fewer than 23 people have been reportedly killed by terrorists in Mararaban Agban, Agban and Adan communities in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

Owing to this, the Kaduna state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Jama’a and Kaura Local Government Areas of the state to avert outbreak of violence.

Also, in Niger State, gunmen have raided three communities in Munya Local Government Area, kidnapping no fewer than 20 villagers, just as not less than 4000 people have been displaced from their ancestral homes in Shiroro local government area as a result of attacks by insurgents and flooding of their communities by the Zungeru dam under construction.

However, in Kaura Local government, several people were also said to have been injured while about 70 houses were reportedly burnt by the invading terrorists.

An eye witnessed who pleaded anonymity said in a telephone interview that the attacks took place at about 7pm on Sunday when the three communities were surrounded by the criminals.

According to him the terrorists were in larger numbers and were well armed, adding that they divided themselves into three groups.

He said each group was stationed around the three villages where they mounted their machines guns.

“They came around 7pm and and they divided themselves into three groups. One group attacked Mararaban Agban, the second group attacked Agban and the third group attacked Adan.

“They mounted their machine guns and started unleashing mayhem the villagers,” he said.

He said he visited the affect villages on Monday morning and counted 20 corpses, while three others died in the hospital following injuries they sustained from gunshots.

“I just visited the three affected communities this morning- Mararaban Agban, Agban and Adan. They are neighbouring villages.

“I can say that I counted 23 corpses including three of the victims who died in the hospital of wounds from gunshots.

“I also counted about 70 houses that were burnt.

“In Adan, the only structures that were left standing, are the Church, the primary school and about two uncompleted buildings, the entire village was razed.

“In Agban half of the houses were burnt. In Mararaban Agban, some few houses were burnt.

“One woman was macheted, all in all, I counted 14 corpses in Mararaban Agban, three of the corpses were still on fire.

In Agban I saw six dead bodies including a woman and her three children.

“At Adan I did not see dead body, but that is not to say no life was lost because I didn’t enter the bushes around the community,” he said.

He said last week, the terrorists attempted to attack the communities on two occasions, but were repelled.

“Yesterday (Sunday), they came in their numbers, well-armed, well-coordinated and wreaked havoc on the villagers,” he said.

When contacted, Mohammed Jalige, spokesman of the Kaduna state police command said, he was yet to receive reports of the incident.

He, however, promised to make his findings and get back. He was yet to get back at the time of this report

KDSG Impose 24-Hour Curfew on Jema’a, Kaura LGAs

Meanwhile, the Kaduna state government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Jama’a and Kaura Local Government Areas of the state to avert outbreak violence.

Angry youths were said to have protested against Sunday’s killings of 26 people and the burning of about 70 houses in three communities in Kaura LGA.

Eyewitness said hundreds of angry youths blocked the roads condemning the government for failing to deal with the terrorists attacking communities.

According to eyewitness, “the boys were very angry over the killings and the burning of houses on Sunday.

“There was no security on the ground so they started blocking roads. Eventually they saw a J5 bus coming and they attacked the bus, suddenly mobile police personnel arrived.

“On arrival, the police open fire on the boys, one of the boys was shot. They became angrier and and set the bus ablaze. This resulted in serious tension in the area as people were afraid of outbreak of violence,” he said.

In a statement in Kaduna, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the decision to impose curfew on the two council areas was based on advice from security agencies.

He said, “Following advice from security agencies, the Kaduna state government has declared a 24-hour curfew in Jema’a and Kaura Local Government Areas with immediate effect.

“This is to assist the security agencies to stabilize the situation in the areas, save lives and property and enable the restoration of law and order.”

Aruwan added that security agencies have full authorisation to enforce the curfew.

“Government appeals to all residents of Jema’a and Kaura Local Government Areas to cooperate with the security agencies in the urgent task of restoring peace and upholding law and order.

“Government condemns the violence and all acts of lawlessness that have occurred in the area. Further updates will be issued as necessary,” he said.

Gunmen Raid Niger Communities, Kidnap 20 as State Lists 4000 IDPs in Gwada

In a related development, gunmen have raided three communities in Munya local government area of Niger State kidnapping no fewer than 20 villagers.

Among those abducted according to a report were a newly wedded couple.

THISDAY learnt that the incident occurred between last Saturday and early Monday morning.

It was learnt that six villagers were abducted at Getso, between Saturday and Sunday morning, nine at Shashayi and the others from Jigbe near Guni.

The gunmen it was reported were in large numbers and rode on motorcycles to the communities before shooting sporadically into the air to instill fears into the villagers.

According to the report, in the stampede that followed the abducted villagers were led at gun points into vehicles stationed around the bushes and taken into hiding.

Some agricultural produce and animals were also taken away by the bandits.

It was however gathered that some of the villagers sustained injuries while trying to escape from the terrorists but no death was recorded.

When contacted the Secretary of Munya Local Government Council, Mr. James Jagaba, confirmed the incidents which he described as being now a daily occurrence in the local government area.

Jagaba said an official report has been made to the state government and the police command.

Also, not less than 4000 people have been displaced from their ancestral homes in Shiroro local government area of Niger state as a result of attacks by insurgents and flooding of their communities by the Zungeru dam under construction.

Most of the victims are now staying in camps in Gwada town where it is feared that an outbreak of epidemic could be imminent.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who was in Gwada over the weekend to commiserate with the IDPs observed sadly that the federal government has not paid compensations to those villagers whose land was acquired for the construction of the Zungeru dam, a development he said increased the number of people displaced and the ability of the people to migrate to safer ground.

“We have those displaced by bandits and water. Both cases are very serious and severe situations. You can see in a primary school like this, we have over 4,000 people. We are more concerned that the pandemic can easily spread around here,” Bello said after the visit.

The governor lamented that the displaced people cannot return to their ancestral homes immediately because, “most of their villages have been burnt down and even if they go back now, they have nowhere to stay.”

He, however, said government, “was making every effort, the security agencies have been up to the task and they have dealt decisively with the bandits. As it is right now, the area is a bit calm but of course we still have pockets of bandits coming in and out.”

He said though government was faced with limited resources, it would still find a way to support the communities so that they would get their lives back and return to the farms.

Bello also raised another alarm that Boko Haram elements operating around Shiroro local government area have planted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) around Galadima Kogo, a major town in the local government but said government had directed the police to embark on the detonation of the devices.

“I am happy with the progress so far made by the security agencies, their new strategies and tactics is working but the size of the state is a disadvantage and the number of boots on ground is not enough,” adding that government would collaborate with the security agencies to get more men on ground and other components.

Bello expressed optimism that, “in the next two weeks, some of the IDPs will go back to their various communities.”