*23 in Katsina,17 in Kaduna
*Nigerians worried over capacity of security agencies to provide security inspire of huge expenditures
By Hassan Zaggi
It was a bloody weekend in several parts of the country with gunmen killing 50 persons in Benue, 23 in Katsina and 17 in Kaduna states.
According to reports, no fewer than 23 villagers, including 21 males and two females, were killed and several others injured on Saturday as terrorists invaded villages in Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
Sources said that terrorists had earlier on Friday attended the wedding party (Walima) of one of their kingpins, identified as ‘Mai Katifa Mutuwa’ at Majifa Village, but stayed back in the neighbourhood till Saturday to launch the attack.
“Instead of leaving peacefully after the wedding, the bandits chose to invade nearby villages in the area on Saturday.
They attacked several settlements, including Danmarke, Gidan Sale, Gidan Sarka, Gidan Jiho, Gidan Ancho, among others.
“Some vigilantes attempted to stop the hoodlums, but they were over powered by the fighting power of the invaders who unleashed mayhem on the neighbourhood.
“We gathered that 23 villagers were killed in the attack. We attended the burial rites of some of them this morning.
“Many people were also injured in the attack. Some of them have since been conveyed to Kankara General Hospital while others to hospitals in the State capital, Katsina,” the source stated.
Another source from the area said some of the terrorists were killed in the clash though their numbers could not ascertained.
Confirming the report, SP Gambo Isah, Spokesperson of the Katsina State Police Command, said they received information that “some group of bandits from Zamfara came for celebration and later attacked Majifa village.”
Lately, communities in Kankara LGA of Katsina State have been under incessant attack by terrorists.
Notable among them is the February 2, 2023, killing of over 100 people when ‘Yan Sakai’ vigilante members ran into an ambush between Bakori-Kankara crisis.
*Uproar as death toll rises to 17 after Southern Kaduna attacks
Kaduna state indigene across all faiths have raised their voices against the incessant killings of innocent residents of villages in the southern part of the state.
They expressed their anger after news filter in that the death toll as a result of the late Saturday’s attack by gunmen suspected to be militia herders on the Ungwan Wakili community in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State has risen to 17.
It would be recalled that Ungwan Wakili has experience series of attacks by gun men in the past few years leading to the killing of many people and the destruction of property worth millions of naira in the area.
The initial death toll following the Saturday attack was said to be 15, however, the number has risen to 17.
Confirming the two addition deaths to newsmen, the Executive Chairman of Zangon Kataf local government, Francis Sani, disclosed that two of the injured victims died today (Sunday) at different hospitals in Kafanchan and Kaduna where they were receiving treatment.
The latest two casualties died from severe injuries from gunshots and machete cuts.
They victims will soon be buried after due consultation with their families.
Reacting to the killings, a former member of the House of Representative from the northern part of Kaduna state who pleaded not to be named, expressed worry over the endless attacks of innocent residents of the Southern part of the state, especially, Ungwan Wakili and other settlements in Zangon Kataf Local Government of the State.
On his part, an indigene of the Southern Kaduna who is resident in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bulus Yakubu, said that he was shocked to hear that residents of Ungwan Wakili have suffered another attack from gunmen.
“What is the sin of our people that they are being killed on a daily basis? I think the best thing to do is for our people to find a way of protecting themselves from these killers.
“The government, to me, is culpable on this. They want to ensure that our people do not vote in the forthcoming governorship election, but I must tell you that they are coming late.
“No matter what, we must make sure we contribute in changing this APC government so that we will see where all these troubles are coming from.
“Since the past 7 years, hundreds of our people have loss their lives. Property worth millions of naira have been destroyed and still, they are running after our people. This must change by the grace of God.
“I appeal to the security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and ensure that our people are protected from these ‘devils” whose main preoccupation is to kill and destroy.”
*Community leaders seek President Buhari’s intervention over incessant killings in Benue
Following the killing of over 50 people including women and children in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State in the past few days by alleged armed herdsmen, community leaders in the area have called on President Muhammad Buhari to intervene and save them from total genocide.
This is even as they also appealed to foreign and local Non-Governmental Organizations to come to their aid.
It would be recalled that in the past few days, over 50 indigenes of Benue, in Kwande Local Government were massacred by armed herdsmen terrorising the area.
Sources disclosed that the marauding herders with cattle numbering over 300 have taken over the whole of villages including Nyiev-ya (Mbakyor Ward, Turan) in Kwande LGA, Benue state, covering a distance of not less than 100km.
The herders are said to have destroyed villages, markets including Ayuluba in Ityuluv Nyiev-ya, farm produce, houses and many others worth billions of naira.
In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari titled; “Terror Attacks on Farming Communities, Including Women and Children in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State,” the community leaders appealed to the president to deploy heavy security operatives to man their borders in order to prevent the killers from having access to the communities.
The letter was signed by the trio of Comrade Festus Iorkyaa, President-Turan Development Association (TUDA), Eric Tyohemba Udu and Solomon Terfa Jijah, on behalf of the community leaders.
