President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest massacre of 15 people in Goronyo and Illela Local Government Areas of Sokoto, warning that “this needless and mindless violence against innocent people cannot go unpunished.”
The terrorists, after the attack and killings on Sunday, proceeded to appoint district heads in the affected communities, according to witnesses, confirming comments credited to Senator Ibrahim Gobir on the floor of the Senate last week.
Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, confirmed the attack on the two local government areas in his state but the state police command was strangely quoted as denying the attack took place.
Reacting to the incident from South Africa through his media aide, Garba Shehu, President Buhari warned that:
“This persistent and unprovoked violence against unarmed civilians must be met with fierce response by the government.
“Let me once again, reassure Nigerians, that this administration will not abandon them to their fate in the face of this existential challenge caused by banditry.”
According to the President, “we are taking delivery of military equipment to improve the capacity of our security forces to effectively deal with this issue.
“Our military is also deploying advanced technology to enhance surveillance and related operations to locate and crush these criminals and enemies of our common humanity.
“This administration will not tolerate this state of affairs where criminals deprive the people of their means of livelihoods and turn them into beggars and refugees. The bandits are living in a fool’s paradise if they believe that they can’t be crushed. The criminals cannot be lucky always; they will ultimately meet their Waterloo. Evil cannot triumph over good no matter how long it takes,” President Buhari added.
A native of one of the affected communities, Idris Gobir, told VOA Hausa Service in an interview that the bandits had appointed two district heads in the Sabon Birni zone of Sokoto State.
He said: “Yesterday (Sunday), the bandits leader celebrated the Maulud in Makwaruwa,where he declared himself the district head. The event took place in the presence of the bona fide district head. But when they asked if he had any objection, the bonafide district head, Dan Sani, paid allegiance to the bandits’ leader who usurped his powers .
‘’Similarly, in Gangara town, the bandits summoned a meeting which was attended by all the inhabitants and the bandits. They selected Dan Kwaro and he is now the district head of that town.
“He was in the town on Thursday and ordered mosques to reopen. He directed that the inhabitants should stop going outside the town for prayers, that they should be performing their prayers in the town.
“ They control the local justice system and others. He ordered that markets be reopened on Tuesdays.’’
Another resident in the Eastern part of Sokoto, Bashir Altine Guyawa, told the VOA Hausa service that even before the bandits appointed district heads in the area, they had for a long time, been in control of that zone and called the shots.
“From Dama where there was an encounter between the bandits and security agents, up to Zango and Gatawa, the bandits are in total control of these areas and dictate daily affairs.
“So, whether they announce the appointment of district heads or not, they have already established their presence and they are in control. So, anybody who had traditional authority can no longer exercise that power, “ he said
A security expert quoted by a national daily, Auwal Bala Durumi Iya, said the situation was capable of making the people lose hope in government’s ability to rescue them from the clutches of thes bandits.
“Secondly, they (bandits) will be able to recruit from those who are not part of them, whether they like it or not.”
“Thirdly, this will show the world that the bandits are now strong enough to annex an area and impose their kind of authority,” he said.
Everyday.ng recalls that last week troubling details of how over 120 Nigerians were killed in Goronyo Market, and how terrorists are being installed as village heads in Sokoto State emerged from the Senator representing the area, Senator Ibrahim Gobir.
Gobir told his colleagues in the Upper Legislative house last Wednesday: “The terrorists came to the market and started shooting every person they saw in the market.”
He disclosed that in seven villages within some local government areas of the state, residents are compelled by bandits to pay levies between N1 million and N20 million.
Gobir listed the affected villages to include Kwarangamba, Garki, Danadua, Katuma, Kurawa and Dama.
The lawmaker lamented that failure to meet the demand imposed by the bandits in the affected areas had often led to the killing of the villagers.
Gobir expressed frustration that inspite of consistent pleas to security agencies to come to the rescue of the affected communities, nothing has been done so far by the military and police to intervene in the plight of the people.
He further disclosed that the failure of the military to come to the rescue of the villagers has emboldened the terrorists to install their own representatives as villages heads in some areas of Sabon-Girin Local Government.
“The terrorists are now installing their village heads in some areas of Sabin-Girin local government.
“In Gangara, they replaced the village head with Dan Bakkolo, the next in command to a known terrorists called Turji.
“In Makwaruwa, they installed Dan Karami (a terrorist) as Maigari”, Senator Gobir said
Sobered by the revelations, the Senate held a minute silence to mourn the killings, including the over 120 at the Goronyo market.
According to the lawmaker, the massacre of the victims by bandits occurred on Sunday, October 17, 2021.
Coming under Order 43 – Personal Explanation – of the Senate Rules, Gobir said, “on Sunday, 17th October, 2021, Gorony market was attacked, and about 120 plus people killed.