By Our Correspondent
That insecurity in the country is escalating is no longer news. The scourge seems to be permeating the hitherto peaceful environments with reckless abandon, with no end in sight. Recently, Niger state appears to be having its fair share of bandit activities.
As at the last count, death toll in Shiroro local government area of Niger state rose to 70 as armed bandits activities continued unabated ravaging, sacking eight more villages and displacing over 1000 people.
Though controversial, the recent casualty figure being taunted by the state government ranges from 12 to 40. Being that as it may, none of the death figures calls for celebration, because, no soul is suppose to die as a result of human or inhuman actions that lack legal backing
The original death toll, according to sources, was 12. It was later gathered that the figure swelled from 12 dead when the attack was first reported on Sunday June 9, 2019 as the bandits spread to more villages.
It was learnt that several injured people were rushed to various hospitals in Kuta, Erena and Zumba while the displaced villagers were seeking refuge in seven internally displaced persons, IDPs, camps.
The report made available to Journalists indicated that within six days, 19 people were killed in Kwaki village, 14 in Barden Dawaki village while eight died in Ajatawyi village.
Other casualties include seven dead in Gwassa, five in Ajayin Bataro, four others in Bwailo, three in Baton village and two reported dead in Giji village
Information also revealed that over 800 heads of cattle have been rustled during the period.
Speaking with our correspondent, Senator David Umaru appealed to President Mohammed Buhari to come to the rescue of Niger East Senatorial District from the ravaging bandits.
Our source pleaded with the President to order the relocation of security chiefs to the area to immediately curtail the carnage.
He said, “I am in pains and sorrow over the killing of my people by armed bandits who have occupied most of our communities in the past few days. It is horrible that over 69 people have been killed and 1000 displaced and yet there is no respite for the good people of my constituency”.
He said that it has become apparent that the situation is beyond the capacity of police, adding that, “I therefore appeal to President Buhari to order the military into the area to stop the bandits, I am also calling on the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 1 Div Nigeria Army Kaduna to deploy more personnel to save the villagers from the onslaught of the bandits”.
The source stressed the need for the state government to give priority to the provision of adequate logistics in assisting security agencies in the area.
The same tale of sorrow reverberated at the Erena IDP camp, when Governor Abubakar Sani Bello visited for the on the spot assessment of the dastardly situation.
It was learnt that at least 2, 400 persons from eight communities were taking refuge in Central Primary School, Erena following incessant banditry attacks in the area.
The incident was said to have led to the death of about 37 people while more than 20 sustained various degrees of injuries and were receiving treatment at the camp.
Governor Sani Bello, who visited the camp in Erena, expressed sorrow over the attack and extended his sympathy to the families of the dead and the injured.
He stated that government was taking urgent steps towards tackling the fatal banditry attacks adding that security in the affected areas has been reinforced and strengthened to subdue the bandits and give the IDPs opportunity to return to their deserted communities.
As a measure towards stemming the ugly tide, the Governor directed the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to sustain the succour and relief provided to the displaced persons taking refuge in Erena.
Governor Sani Bello also reassured people of Niger state that his administration remains committed to securing the lives and properties of the citizens. He also commended the Joint Military Taskforce for prompt intervention.
He called on people in all the affected communities to collaborate with and assist the security agencies with relevant information and intelligence for more effective operations.
Earlier, the acting Director General of Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Abdulsalam Tanko Mohammed Zumba said the state government has provided food and non-food items worth thousands of Naira to the affected persons to cushion the harrowing effects.
In a development, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Niger state, Barrister David Umoru, has expressed his reservation over the claim by the state government that only 12 people were killed in the mayhem against his people in Shiroro local government area of the state.
Umoru reiterated that not less than 69 people were mercilessly murdered by bandits, while 55 bodies have already been recovered.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, while on a fact finding mission to the affected area, also admitted that 37 people were killed, with several injured.
“My attention has been drawn to a libelous statement made by one Alhaji Aliyu Isah Ekan, Permanent Secretary (Cabinet & Security), Government House, making some spurious allusions on my person regarding the death toll that resulted from the attack on my people by Bandits.
“Ordinarily I would have kept mute because of the pain in me for the grave loss we suffered as a people in this carnage since I hail from Kwaki district of Shiroro Local Government Area.
“For any serious and concerned government, this should have been a period of mourning; a time for introspection and strategizing to be proactive so as to forestall further and future occurrences instead of indulging in pettiness. To accuse me of attempting “to make Niger state look unsafe in the eyes of the world” is idle talk. The world already knows that some parts of Niger state are unsafe particularly areas in Shiroro LGA, Rafi and Munya LGAs and that the state government has not shown any seriousness in addressing the problem”, he said.
Barrister Umoru, who until recently the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District that encompasses the troubled area; noted that it was rather unfortunate that the state government, instead of owning up on its ineptitude and insensitivity to the plight of my people for more than two years now, “has chosen the path of unprovoked, malicious attempt to malign my name.”
He stressed that the choice of such a path by the government is further proof that the lives of my people do not matter to it.
“The life of a single person should matter and its loss is regrettable and calls for serious concern. It is more painful when such life is lost in a preventable circumstance.
“It is gruesomely wicked for the government to be claiming that lives lost are 12 and 22 injured when even its own agency, Niger State Emergency Management Agency as on Monday 10th June gave the figure of the dead they had already counted to be above 40 and still counting. It is such gross insincerity and deceit that clouds the government functionaries of the state that continuously hinder prompt and concerted effort to deal decisively with the onslaught of the criminals.
“How can one explain a Permanent Secretary of the state Government saying that the gunmen were there to attack cows and not villagers and who told him that? Was he there during the attack? Is he now their spokesperson trying to justify their actions? To him stealing/rustling cows is not a crime? What a shame!”
Umoru said trading of figures goes to show one thing, that the government is not in touch with the suffering masses that have been in this horrific situation for upwards of two years now.
“On my part, I am never perturbed by such inglorious behaviours but remain unapologetically attached to my people. For avoidance of doubt, I still reecho it that not less than 69 people were killed by the bandits, several injured and cattle rustled. Out of this number 55 bodies have been found whilst the search for the remaining bodies continues”, he insisted.
