▪︎ Those rescued by bandits attack in Abuja were those let go by bandits; Police say they rescued them after gun duel
In fresh killings by alleged Fulani militia, a 62 years old widow and mother of six, and another 52 years old mother of eight have been burnt to death in the latest in a string of killings and attacks in a week in Southern Kaduna.
According to the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU, the killing of the women took place early Friday morning at Manyi-Mashin village, in Zamandabo ward, in Atyap Chiefdom, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area (LGA) in Southern Kaduna.
The Kaduna situation is coming as a source told Everyday.ng that those allegedly rescued by the Police in Abuja, after bandits stormed a large community in Abuja, were actually those released by their abductors on account of age “or because they did not appear commercially viable”.
According to the source who resides in the community, the bandits operated unchallenged for hours, moving from house to house robbing the people and taking along others.
The incident in Tunga Maje community that borders the famous Abuja-Lokoja expressway, just a stone throw from Zuba has sent chills down the spine of many Abuja residents, who recall a viral Nigeria Customs Service intelligence memo that revealed the influx of bandits into forests in Abuja and contiguous states of Nasarawa and Kogi.
The Defence Headquarters was quick to reassure residents of the territory of its readiness to protect them, as the intelligence community lashed out at the Customs service for its indiscretion. But an attack, robbery, and abduction in a community that borders the Federal Capital City, just 50 kilometres from the city centre is raising fears that the leaked NCS memo was genuine, contrary to attempts by the NCS to discredit it later.
Anjuguri Manzah, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command spokesman, tells a different story from those of Tunga Maje residents.
While assuring residents that protection of lives and property remains the core of its policing mandate, he pointed out that when the Police received a distress call on kidnap of some persons on Thursday night, a joint team of Police operatives from the Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Rapid Response Squad and Zuba Police Division responded swiftly to the occasion.
“During a fierce gun confrontation with the heavily armed hoodlums, the Police team successfully rescued five of the kidnapped victims.
“Meanwhile, a concerted effort has been deployed to rescue the remaining five victims that are still with the hoodlums who escaped into Niger state through a nearby forest that is surrounded by rocky terrain”, Manzah said.
On Kaduna, SOKAPU’s spokesman, Mr. Luka Binniyat alleged that the community was invaded by hordes of Fulani armed men who burnt down almost all the houses in the village, looting and carting away valuables.
“Two persons were burnt in their homes beyond recognition: They are Cecilia Ishaya, 62, a widow and mother of 6 children and Iliya Sunday, 56, who left behind 8 children. Though men of Operation Safe Heaven promptly responded, the militia fled before their arrival.”
Police confirmation of the tragedy is still being awaited.
Binniyat adds in a statement: “This was after Fulani militia on the 8th September, 2020 laid ambush for three Atyap youths from Atakmawei village in same Zamandabo Ward in Atyap Chiefdom, as they went to clear weed in their Sugar cane farm about a kilometer from their village.
“Suddenly, armed herdsmen came from hiding and struck. They descended on them with daggers and machetes. Anthony Magaji, 25, a final year HND student with Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, was hacked down. They axed his neck and head with macabre wounds and killed him instantly. Isaac Thomas, 24, also an OND student of the same School, managed to escape with life threatening injuries and is now under intensive care in a hospital, while the third escaped with less injury.
“Meanwhile, we have received complains of farmers in Gora axis of Atyap Chiefdom, who say that Fulani men occasional sneak into their farms destroy large swath of growing food crops, thus leaving them with a bleak prospect of hunger in the near future. All these gory development is taking place after a much publicized peace deal was reached between natives of Atyap Chiefdom on one side and their long time settled Hausa and Fulani representatives on 23rd August, 2020 in Unguwan Wakili, close to Zangon Kataf town.
“Similarly, on the 8th of September, 2020, an attack was launched again by Fulani militias at Kitsarapang village in Kizachi Chiwo of Kizachi community, Tsam Chiefdom in Kauru LGA in the Southern part of Kaduna state, Nigeria.
The attack claimed the life of Emmanuel David Yohanna, 13 leaving two persons grievously with gunshots. They are: Sunday Zango Stephen, 48 and Zakka John, 23
“The two victims are now receiving treatment at a Hospital in Jos.
Meanwhile, three decomposing corpses were found on Kaduna-Abuja highway on Sunday, 6th September, 2020. They were among four persons that were abducted during a brazen operation last week at Maraban Rido, a suburb of Kaduna under Chikun LGA all in Southern Kaduna. They were killed after ransom was paid for their release. Among them is Pius Gargai, 20, and married with a child. He was a nephew of the 1st Vice President of SOKAPU, Mr. Dio Maisamari. The young man was buried last Wednesday in his native home Kufana, Kajuru LGA. The names of the other victims are yet to reach us.
“These bring to eight the number of our members grisly killed by armed Fulani militia within five days in Southern Kaduna in an ongoing genocide against the natives of Southern Kaduna.
“SOKAPU wishes to once again request the Federal Government, through Operation Safe Heaven, under the Command of Major General Chukwu Emeka Okonkwo, to expatiate action and expel and bring to book all the Fulani militia that are currently occupying 101 Southern Kaduna Communities in four of our LGAs. We have furnished the world with the details and we are happy to note, that eight of the displaced communities in Zangan District in Kaura LGA are now returning home as a result of more presence of men of OPSH.
“We are appealing to our youths to shun all forms of provocation and conduct themselves in manners that will not make them fall short of the law, (while) not compromising their rights for self-preservation under the law”.