Reports have it that on the 21st of January 2023, armed groups suspected to be bandits attacked the Abagana community opposite the internally displaced persons camp located along Makurdi/Lafia road in Benue State according to the Punch Newspaper . The attack happened on Thursday night came barely two years after the community was hit with attacks that left seven persons murdered. Sources in the community informed the Punch that a family of six and two others were beheaded with their heads carted away by the armed invaders.
It was gathered that the attack left many others injured as the bandts invaded the community around 9pm and shot sporadically which left many wounded and others dead.
Lt Col Paul Hemba, Security Adviser to the Governor of Benue State confirmed the attack and said that the attack, unprovoked happened as the villagers were preparing to go to bed. Hemba gave the names of the deceased as Gbashaor Acho, Gbashaor Joseph, Anshe Dekera, Ancho Kpor, Eunice Gbashaor, Sewuese Gbashaor, Terlumun Ajoh, Emberga Gbashaor and Donald Gbashaor and confirmed that the death toll could still rise due to injuries sustained by the attacks.
He also stated that the bandits stole two motorcycles belonging to the villagers.
Terrorists suspected to be Fulani Islamists on Sunday night launched daring attacks on two Southern Kaduna communities, killing no fewer than 30 villagers in the process.
The attacks which took place in Malagum and Sokong communities all in Kaura local government area of Kaduna state threw the communities into deep state of mourning after dozens were hacked to death by the terrorists.
A youth leader from one of the affected communities who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity said the attackers came into their community chanting “Allahu Akbar” meaning Allah is the greatest, as they shoot sporadically at the helpless villagers.
“They came in heavily armed, chanting Allahu Akbar as they shoot at the people, some of our people made attempts to run but couldn’t run faster than the bullets of the herdsmen who went on butchering those fell by their bullets.
“As am speaking to you right now the communities are in a severe mourning state, it is few days to Christmas but I can assure you that we cannot celebrate anything here after this attack.” He said.
Sunday’s attack came barely one week after terrorists in similar fashion killed 8 people in Malagum and Kamuru-Ikullu communities all in Southern Kaduna. The villagers blamed the attacks on Fulani herdsmen who have been largely blamed for many attacks in different parts of Nigeria.
Images obtained by this newspaper showed that some of the victims of yesterday’s attacks were burnt to death by the terrorists while some were hacked using machetes after sustaining gunshot injuries.
A woman shot and hacked to death during the attack.Another victim burnt to death.
In recent times, Southern Kaduna had witnessed attacks during Christmas and New year festivities. An occurrence many believed to have some religious undertones as the victims are majorly Christian indigenous people in the area.
The State Security Service (SSS) had forwarded 44 security reports to the Muhammadu Buhari regime before the July 5 attack on Kuje prison.
Deputy House Speaker Ahmed Idris Wase’s revelation lends credence to claims that the president is nonchalant and unstrategic in the fight against insecurity.
“You can imagine what is happening today in Abuja. I will be frank with you. I went through DSS reports. 44 reports were given before the attack of Kuje.
“I want to say so, I want to confirm to you, 44. I went through all the reports. And it all has to do with this,” said the lawmaker at the plenary session on Tuesday.
Mr Wase was discussing a motion presented by Abubakar Makki Yelleman (APC Jigawa) to stop the proposed ban on motorcycles across the nation.
He said security agencies have always received intelligence regarding any attack, including the Kuje jailbreak where SSS operatives presented 44 reports to warn the government.
“There is no community that one attack or the other will happen and we will not have an intel, and this is part of the intel that they have given as what is going to happen, what is happening and what is not going to happen,” the Deputy Speaker stated.
He stressed that government needed support to enforce the ban in communities susceptible to banditry and terrorists’ activities.
The failure of the regime to foil the jailbreak after receiving credible intelligence from the secret police has again put the leadership credentials of Mr Buhari to test.
Over 600 hardened criminals, including 64 terrorists, were freed during the jailbreak.
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to resign or be impeached over his perennial failure to take decisive action on terrorists.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, also said the Buhari regime and the military are cool with the spate of terrorist attacks in the country as they have failed to deploy the 12 Super Tucano fighter jets against terrorists turning the country into another Afghanistan.
Recall that terrorists on Tuesday attacked the advanced security convoy of Buhari near Dutsinma, Katsina State, killing two policemen (allegedly) in the process. The officials were travelling to Daura ahead of the trip of the President to his hometown for Sallah.
Terrorists also attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday, allegedly freeing inmates and killing security agents.
Recently, a community leader in the Birnin Gwari Emirate of Kaduna State Zubairu Abdulra’uf revealed that farmers in the area paid about N400 million to bandits in order to be allowed to carry on with their farming activities.
HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “These major incidents are too heavy to be ignored. Terrorists are becoming daring because the government is in bed with armed Fulani terrorists. These bandits were designated as terrorists by a Federal High Court in November 2021 but eight months after, the government has not taken any definitive military actions to stamp them out.
“In fact, the 12 Super Tucano fighter jets bought from the United States have not been deployed against the terrorists in the North-West despite that the court judgement ordered the government to do so.
“The failure and inaction of the government have buoyed the heinous and condemnable crimes of the terrorists who now make a fortune from the odious venture of kidnapping Nigerians and have gone as far as collecting taxes like in Kaduna where farmers have so far paid N400 million in protection tax to Fulani terrorists.
“Similarly, attacks on prisons have grown so much under Buhari. There have been about 15 jailbreaks in the last five years under Buhari and over 3,400 inmates have fled.
“Buhari has failed Nigerians and himself. This is the time for either Buhari to resign or he be impeached if the National Assembly members can grow ball. They must do it or else Nigeria is doomed and over 200 million refugees will flow out of Nigeria.” Why is the minister of interior still on seat?
July 6, 2022
Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
Prominent Civil rights advocacy group- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has thrown her weight behind the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, who spoke against the high rate of insecurity in the country and told the members of his Church to defend themselves against attackers.
HURIWA recalled that the respected Cleric Pastor Adeboye stressed that there is nowhere in the Bible that God said His children should not defend themselves.This is coming as the Chairman of the Katsina State Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emir of Katsina, Dr Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has raised the alarm over what he described as the multifaceted worsening security challenges facing the residents of the state.
The Rights group recalled that speaking during the church’s July 2022 Holy Ghost Service in a viral video, Adeboye said enough is enough, adding that henceforth, “it’s fire for fire. “I don’t want to say much because I know whatever I say, some people may want to twist it. I have searched the Bible from cover to cover and there is nowhere where God said a child of God cannot defend himself. If you find the place, let me know. He said that if they slap you on the right cheek turn left; He said that one. If they now slap the left what did he say? When God is silent, do you know the meaning of that, it simply means over to you.“I am only talking to my children. Only my children come to the Holy Ghost Service. There are certain things television cannot transmit. Not at all. Glory be to God for television that can transmit across the world. Glory be to God. But when the Almighty God knows that it is out of laziness that you sat back at home, you will be hearing the testimonies of those who were present. There’s something called corporate anointing. The Bible says fire begets fire. There are certain things you get because you are there… Oh! Some jokers said churches should not open for three months. Who is your commander? God of Boko Haram? Let the devil try any nonsense, from now on, it is going to be fire for fire.”
Against the backdrop of the admonition by Pastor Enoch Adeboye on the necessity of embracing self defence to save their lives from being wasted by armed terrorists, the Rights grpup said that just like the the Zamfara State’s governor authorised his citizens to bear arms, the Reverend gentleman was right to mobilise his members to do all they can to remain alive because as it were only the living can worship God.
HURIWA spoke further on THE implications of embracing self defence which it says are multifaceted and affirmed that It shows the collapse of the centralised system of government due to the incompetence of the head of state and head of government to safeguard the lives of the citizens and the safety of their legitimately obtained assets/property. Another implication is that it has open the floodgates for other states to take similar lawful steps to protect their citizens for the time being until such a time that Nigeria has an effective and functional President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If the people don’t protect themselves because government at the centre can’t protect them because of criminal dereliction of duty on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari and the collusion and compromises of the National Assembly that failed to provide oversight responsibility to demand action from the President to stop the killings of Nigerians. The National Assembly has the power of impeachment of a failed President which President Muhammadu Buhari is but Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila are ‘ERRAND BOYS’ OF THE FAILED PRESIDENT SO AS HIS PUPILS THEY CAN’T MOVE AGAINST THEIR PRINCIPAL BECAUSE THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S INDEPENDENCE HAS BEEN MORTGAGED SINCE 2019. The last implication is for the national Assembly to impeach the President so we don’t have arms proliferation in Nigeria.
The decision by the Zamfara State governor to ask citizens to pick up arms for the purposes of self defence is constitutionally permitted under Section 33(2) (a) which states and I quote “a person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section if he dies as a result of the use to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary- (a) FOR THE SELF DEFENCE OF ANY PERSON FROM UNLAWFUL VIOLENCE OR FOR THE DEFENCE OF PROPERTY. “
Fundamentally, the primary purpose of government as clearly spelt out under section 14(2) (b) is “THE SECURITY AND WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE SHALL BE THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT.” So the Zamfara State government’s innovative way of safeguarding the lives of the citizens of that state is necessitated by the overwhelming failures of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to dispense and discharge his constitutionally mandated primary obligations as President who has the command and control of the Armed Forces as stipulated in Sections 218, 217, 215 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. And because the RIGHT TO LIFE WHICH IS SACROSANCT AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 33(1) MUST BE SAFEGUARDED BY ALL MEANS FROM EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTION, IT IS PERMISSIBLE FOR THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO OPT FOR INDIVIDUAL SELF DEFENCE SINCE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT HEADED BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI HAS FAILED IN THIS VERY CRITICAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE LAW DEMANDED OF HIS OFFICE as contained in the following provisions:
“section 215 of the 1999 constitution There shall be –
(a) an Inspector-General of Police who, subject to section 216(2) of this Constitution shall be appointed by the
President on the advice of the Nigeria Police Council from among serving members of the Nigeria Police Force;
(b) a Commissioner of Police for each state of the Federation who shall be appointed by the Police Service Commission.
(2) The Nigeria Police Force shall be under the command of the Inspector-General of Police and contingents of the Nigeria Police Force stationed in a state shall, subject to the authority of the Inspector-General of Police, be under the command of the Commissioner of Police of that state.
(3) The President or such other Minister of the Government of the Federation as he may authorise in that behalf may give to the Inspector-General of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the Inspector-General of Police shall comply with those direction or cause them to be compiled with.
(4) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Governor of a state or such Commissioner of the Government state as he may authorise in that behalf, may give to the Commissioner of Police of that state such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the state as he may consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or cause them to be complied with:
Provided that before carrying out any such directions under the foregoing provisions of this subsection the Commissioner of Police may request that the matter be referred to the President or such minister of the Government of the Federation as may be authorised in that behalf by the President for his directions.
(5) The question whether any, and if so what, directions have been given under this section shall not be inquired into in any court.
Section 217 of the 1999 constitution
(1) There shall be an armed forces for the Federation which shall consist of an army, a navy, an Air Force and such other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.
(2) The Federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of –
(a) defending Nigeria from external aggression;
(b) maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea, or air;
(c) suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President, but subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly; and
(d) performance such other functions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.
(3) The composition of the officer corps an other ranks of the armed forces of the Federation shall reflect the federal
character of Nigeria.
section 218 of the 1999 constitution
(1) The powers of the President as the Commissioner-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation shall include power to determine the operational use of the armed forces of the Federation.
(2) The powers conferred on the President by subsection (1) of this section shall include power to appoint the Chief of Defence staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and heads of any other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly.
(3) The President may, by directions in writing and subject to such conditions as he think fit, delegate to any member of the armed forces of the Federation his powers relating to the operational use of the Armed Forces of the Federation.
(4) The National Assembly shall have power to make laws for the regulation of –
(a) the powers exercisable by the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation; and (b) the appointment, promotion and disciplinary control of members of the armed forces of the Federation.
(3) Lastly, on my take, I will say that we are passing through the worst phase in our national life because of the abysmal failures of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to do just the basic constitutionally obliged duties such as protecting Nigerians from MASS KILLERS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO ROAM ABOUT FREELY AND KILLING NIGERIANS. Zamfara State has provided the most practicable solution that is constitutionally permitted.I will ask all state governors to take same steps to defend their people.
*Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko is Executive Director of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
[ It takes a minimum of ten (10) years and millions of #aira to train a priest in the Major Seminary up to ordination. Therefore, to allow this human capital investment be cheaply exposed to the bullets of some unmerited dregs of the society smacks of negligence. The Catholic Church could not have ordained their priests to be used as sacrificial lambs at some terrorists alter of martyrdom hence it behoves on the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to as usual live up to its calling by calling off the lamentation and change strategy ]
INTRODUCTION Nigeria’s Catholic Priests are running for their lives in fear of the rampaging terrorists, kidnappers, and gunmen who hunt for them like wild life for the game. This is reminiscent of the ‘head hunters’ years of the primitive society, except that what obtains today is that the head of a Catholic priest is more of gold mine in $dollars value rather than the mere prestige of a warrior’s total number of collection of human heads as sign of bravery and.
Hardly any day passes by without reports of missing, kidnapped, or killed Catholic priest (s). Sadly, our churches have become more of places of requiem, funerals, Lamentations, burial sing songs and homilies for slayned priests instead of other forms of worship. Regrettably too, the cemeteries are fast becoming larger in acreage than available farmlands for agricultural purposes, while coffin construction is now such a lucrative business for survival in this period of Buharianomics, making carpenters keep smiling to the bank.
As a consequence of this alarming rate of killing of Catholic Priests across Nigeria, thousands of Catholic faithful, the Pope, Bishops, priests, religious, and concerned citizens have expressed their dissatisfaction with the federal government over its inability to protect lives and property of the citizens – Catholic Priests inclusive.
This discourse is an attempt to highlight and contribute in the on – going efforts to further encourage the Catholic Bishops on to a higher notch of responsibility and action in order to curb the rising spate in violence especially to our humble, esteemed and honoured Catholic priesthood. Permit me at this juncture to plead for penitential amnesty for any sins I may commit in the course of this presentation, and if committed, may it be considered as a ‘holy sin.’
THE SITUATION ROOM It takes a minimum of ten (10) years and millions of #aira to train a priest in the Major Seminary up to ordination. Therefore, to allow this human capital investment be cheaply exposed to the bullets of unmerited dregs of the society smacks of negligence. Invariably, the Catholic Church could not have ordained their priests to be used as sacrificial lambs on a terrorists alter of martyrdom, hence it behoves on the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) to as usual live up to its calling.
According to a report from findings by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law sent to the Agenzia Fides’ agency, at least 70 priests and religious were kidnapped, or killed from June 2015 – March 2020. These casualty figures had since risen higher and higher from March 2020 – June 2022.
As a result of these rising cases of killings, kidnapping, and attacks, thousands of Catholic faithful and concerned citizens have always flooded Nigeria’s streets in protests against the pogrom. One of such protest rallies was led by all black attired Cardinals and Archbishops, followed by priests, religious, lay faithful, and the general public in Abuja on March 1st. 2020.
You would also recall that the fiery Sokoto Diocese Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, and other Bishops have been unrelenting on this matter. While delivering an anniversary lecture at the flag off ceremony of 70th anniversary Logo and Mascot launch of the Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria in early June, 2022, Bishop Kukah said that Nigeria now ranked as the 9th worst country for Christians to live in the world. Iran occupies the no. 8th position.
WHAT NEXT ? (1) Enough of public demonstrations and rallies because nothing seems to be achieved from that so far. (2) Enough of this ‘call to glory’ advertorials for our killed clergy because that is the indication for the enemy perpetrators success. ( 3) Enough of the elaborate Lamentations during requiem, funerals and burials of our killed clergy. I desire more of strategic planning. (4) I want to see workable, pragmatic steps from the Bishops on ways to secure our clergy. It is understandable if they are killed or kidnapped during Mass, but even at that something more concrete can still be done. Enough is enough.
WHY ARE CATHOLIC PRIESTS A TARGET ? The killing and kidnapping of Catholic Priests may be attributed but not limited to the following : (1) The Nigerian government has been unable to provide adequate security for the citizens and as a result there is growing insecurity in the land. Since the terrorists are aware of the weaknesses of the Nigerian state, they attack at will realising that there isn’t really restraining force. The Nigerian military has been so much compromised that they have become ‘a toothless bull dog’. Little a whole lot of people including the Catholic Priests are left vulnerable to whims and caprises of the terrorists. (2) Regrettably, apprehended or the so called repentant terrorists in Nigeria get pardoned and re integrated into the society with due diligence of checks. These repentant terrorists later transform back to unrepentant terrorists to continue to wreck havoc in the society. Likewise, kidnappers get bread thrown at them instead of bullets fired at them. They in turn use the ransom proceeds to purchase more weapons for more daring expeditious kidnappings and killings – and the vicious cycle continuos. (3) Terrorist’s religious fanaticism and ideological considerations arising from a flawed teachings, doctrines, orientation, and sometimes indoctrination for hate of any other faith other than theirs on the face of the earth. (4) The ostentatious lifestyle flownted by (some) Catholic priests may be a source of attraction to kidnappers who end up killing the victim priests even after collecting the ransom. (5) The religious war of rivalry for supremacy between Nigeria’s two major religions make the Catholic priest vulnerably prone to attacks even to the point of total annihilation. (6) This may be a manifestation of growing criminality in a Nigeria that lacks a deliberate, workable, effective jurisprundence, and a sustained regime for crime punishment. (7) Catholic priests are seen as part of a privileged group, and as such, attacks may come as an expression of, or a form of anti – clericalism that is based and fueled on vendetta, or the loss of the sacredness and sanctity of the priesthood as symbolised by the Catholic priest. (8) Catholic priests (some) drive fine cars, are known to have posh homes elsewhere, and appear to be quite comfortable, and contented. The kidnappers who are spurred on by the get – rich – quick syndrome and mindset see these priests as ready prey to be pounced upon. (9) Catholic churches anywhere in Nigeria are among the largest and well built. This really attaches not only a lot richness of wealth status on their priests, but also attracts some notoriety for flounting that wealth. And therefore, the kidnappers also want a bit of the action, and a bite of that wealth. (10) According to Pew Research, the world total population is 7.5 billion. With a total of global Catholic population of 1.36 billion (baptized only), the Catholic Church no doubt is the largest single Christian denomination, as she makes up to 18% of the total world population. It is therefore a pride of no mean achievement for any enemy of Christianity to hurt the Christians by getting at the Catholic Church through her priests.
SUGGESTIONS TO THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA Since the Nigerian government is not doing enough to protect her citizens, the citizens on their part must seek alternative means in order to stay alive. The resentment and awareness must have to build up, and the CBCN is better placed to lead this vanguard. To halt this endless bloodletting of our Catholic priests is a task that must be accomplished. (2) All Catholic priests to posses guns for self defense. (3) All priests to be at Mass with their guns. The CBCN should borrow a leaf from some aspects of the ‘Liberation Theology’ of Latin America of the 60’s and 70’s. (4) Travel restrictions be placed on priests in and out of their domains ( parishes, dioceses) until some level of sanity is attained. (5) All parishes, churches, priests homes be guarded by armed men especially on vulnerable days. (6) Parishioners who qualify to posses guns/firearms be allowed to come to church with such. (7) Catholic priests to cultivate modest lifestyles and cut down public display of affluence. (8) Federal government is to put in place workable, tested, legal, and verifiable measures to ensure the security of life and property. (9) Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah’s suggestion towards tackling this menace suffices : “…… When a dog is backing at you, walk towards it because if you turn back it would attack.” “…….We Christians must walk towards the barking dog.” (10) Extraordinary times demand extraordinary response. Enough is Enough.
I woke up on the 5th of June to see “Owo” trending on Twitter, thinking maybe the governor of the state Rotimi Akeredolu had done something a typical Nigerian government official would do, which would not surprise me, and, to which I didn’t care to take a look at. I found the real story after going through my WhatsApp status updates from contacts. Indeed, it was a horror, the pictures that confronted me.
Two days later, I found out that, three hours after the Owo attack, something worse happened in one of our villages in Southern Kaduna. The military shot at unarmed villages that were under Fulani militia’s attack and secured the militia.
THE JOURNEY
As is the norm with me, some stories strike more than just a chord. Some things should not happen in a democratic society, and even if not so, the 21st century should present us with better opportunities for conflict resolution.
I left Abuja a couple of minutes to 7 PM after the day’s tasks have been completed and headed to Kaduna. One notable thing on the road that night was an accident with survivors in it, but no one dared stop to help them, because of the fear of kidnappers and the elements of destabilization in that death trap called Abuja-Kaduna Express Way. Even my soul felt pity for those trapped in that vehicle.
Minutes later would be our turn. We were two in the vehicle when at 9:45 PM, we had a flat tyre that left us stranded on that road for an hour. I got to Kaduna minutes past 11 PM, crashed at a friend’s place, and continued my journey to the destination where a Nigerian Military helicopter was said to have shot and killed people.
KADUNA-CROSSING-MAIKORI VILLAGE
At first, I thought the attack happened somewhere close to Kaduna city, and at most, somewhere around Kajuru which is about 60KM from the city. Wrong!
First, my guide told me he was not in the village where the attack happened any longer. He had moved on to be with the IDPs in Kaduna and asked me to contact another survivor who would lead me to the village. The second guide was in Kachia, and had to take a cab to Crossing where we met.
“Oga Sir, are we leaving the car here?” he asked.
“No! Why should we leave it here bro?” I inquired.
“It is because the road is not good and the place is far…”
We would go on to travel in the car for convenience, but the motorable road came to an end at Maro which is about 25KM at least, from Crossing. We crossed into Ugakala, drove past quite a number of settlements for almost an hour, and decided to park at Chibiya village when our guide noticed how difficult it was navigating such a jungle. He pleaded with his kinsmen he met on bikes, borrowed their bikes, and rode on one with the cameraman while I and one passenger of the other bike rode on the other for another 30 minutes till we got to Maikori village.
HOW THE ATTACKS HAPPENED
A Sunday is a resting day for these agrarian communities. After Sunday service, it is a well-known fact that Southern Kaduna Christian communities see Sunday as a holiday where you don’t have to work or toil for anything. It is mostly all about going to Church, fellowship, coming back home, resting, or going to the village markets to relax and, or catch up with old friends and families.
According to one of the eye witnesses from Maikori Village,
“We were resting under a tree when we heard gunshots from Ungwan Sarki. We immediately mobilized to know what was happening and were told Fulani men had attacked the village. In the process of mobilizing ourselves to go help our brothers, we saw an influx of men on motorbikes. There were over 100 motorbikes carrying two people each, at least!”
Eyewitness
Another eyewitness said,
“They came in their large numbers. They were many, with sophisticated weapons and we were ready to confront them. It is our village. It is our streams and rivers. It is our farms. It is our bushes. Even though they used to graze here, they don’t know these places better than we do. So we were strategizing on how to defend ourselves when all of a sudden a helicopter came and started to shoot at us, while the attackers were left to burn our houses!”
Eyewitness
Mass grave of the victims
An elderly woman in her 70s said, “We thought the helicopter was there to help us but it was not. It opened fire on us as we ran. We were running and hiding under shrubs. If this were to be a dry season, the casualty figure would have been worse than this.
“Up till now, we don’t stay in our houses anymore. We are here because we are hungry. We stay in the bushes and not in the houses. We just came to get some corn to grind and then go back to the bushes where we are hiding. We fear they would come back.”
70 years old survivor
Multiple eyewitnesses confirmed the helicopter chased them into the bushes, shelled them, and left the terrorists to loot their barns and burn any structure they could. This operation that lasted for two hours had two people killed and one injured. Maniya Inuwa was killed by the terrorists, while Titus Yusuf was shot and killed by the helicopter. Shadrach Joshua was also shot by the helicopter.
A white Rooivalk Mk1 attack helicopter for illustration purpose. Credit: Australian aviation
Every effort to see Joshua was not successful, but luckily, he called me on the phone past 8PM just as I had arrived in Abuja. Apparently, Joshua woke up that morning, was taken to the hospital for treatment, and later hidden in the bush perhaps the Fulanis come back to re-attack the village again.
The attack on Ungwan Sarki claimed two lives, at Maikori two lives and one injury from the helicopter’s shelling, and thirty four lives at Dogo Noma.
ECWA Church Maikori after the attack
The people at Dogo Noma were in a market square having a good time when two men arrived on bikes, surveyed the environment, and left. Minutes later, they were rounded up in the market. Those who tried to escape were shot down while quite a number of them were captured numbering twenty-nine. To date, others cannot be accounted for.
KADUNA STATE GOVERNMENT’S ACCOUNT
The Kaduna state government had kept mum for four (4) days since the Sunday, 5th of June’s attack in Dogon Noma, Maikori, and Ungwan Sarki communities. The government only decided to speak when it became obvious that Southern Karuna was trending on Twitter and other social media platforms. The helicopter story was also spreading like wildfire.
The government speaking through its Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan acknowledged that there was an attack on Sunday 5th June but didn’t explain why it took her four days to comment. The government took time to mention the names of the victims killed during the attack but denied that the helicopter shot at the villagers. It said the helicopter belongs to the Nigerian air force and was on the ground to engage the terrorists.
What the state government has not been able to show to the world is proof that terrorists were killed by the so-called military helicopter. It is baffling to say that a military attack helicopter was on the ground to repel terrorists yet not a single terrorist was killed.
A destroyed vehicle at Maikori
This is not the first time victims of Fulani terrorist attacks are alleging sighting helicopters during attacks. In 2018, communities in the same Kajuru local government area of Kaduna state narrated how they sighted a white-painted helicopter landing in the bushes near them prior to the attacks. There was a video to that effect, where community members narrated their ordeals in the hands of the terrorists.
In June 2020, a captured terrorist confessed during interrogation in a viral video that a certain white painted helicopter was supplying them with weapons for operations.
In February 2022 a certain helicopter flying at low level shot a teenage boy in Kagoro, a community near Kafanchan, the boy survived with an injured arm.
The onion of proof that the terrorists are not in possession of air assets lies in the Nigerian Air Force. The Air Force must as a matter of urgency clear the air with satisfactory evidence otherwise the testimony of victims and survivors will continue to shape public discussions on terrorist attacks in Nigeria as it has never been heard that terrorists used planes or helicopters to visit their victims.
Two weeks before the Sunday 5th June attack, a retired senior intelligence officer had told MBT in confidence about the presence of a certain white painted helicopter which he said was suspicious and that it might be used for nefarious activities.
He said the white chopper is often seen landing at the Air Force Base in Kaduna. Even though he could not tell much about the ownership of the chopper, he said going by its flight nature and timing, he suspects the chopper was being used to either provide cover or facilitate the operations of terrorists or used to kill targeted people in the state.
With the statement earlier released by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan crediting the Nigerian Air Force Base with the helicopter being a rescue helicopter, it is left for them to verify who was the pilot of the helicopter, who gave the command for the helicopter to go to the rescue of the people which ended up killing one person and injuring another person and also providing cover for ground terrorists to kill and burn down houses.
Also, every helicopter has a visible number for easy identification, but this specific helicopter which is white in color does not fly close to the ground as would do other military helicopters. In Zangon Kataf for instance, the presence of the same white helicopter signals that an attack is imminent. This can be confirmed by residents of the local government which leaves us with no option but to request the Nigeria Air Force Base to do a proper investigation to identify this helicopter and its owner.
If the Nigerian Air Force Base cannot investigate, then we call on the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology to do due diligence. Both NAF-Base and NCAT are in Kaduna and are supposed to be privy to information on any flight within the territory in question!
RECOVERED HIGH CALIBRE AMMUNITIONSFROM TERROR SCENE
Middle Belt Times correspondent came in contact with some high calibre ammunitions recovered from the scene of the attack by the villagers. The sizes and shapes of the ammunition look different from the conventional AK-47 bullet shells usually found after attacks in southern Kaduna and elsewhere. These ammunitions look bigger than normal.
High calibre ammunition recovered from Maikori community
Middle Belt Times reached out to a retired senior Air Force officer who agreed to share his views on the matter on condition of strict anonymity. When he sighted a photograph of one of the ammunitions recovered from the attack site, he said the bullets are either 30 or 50mm calibre round mostly fired by machine guns mounted on attack aircrafts. Speaking on the yet to be identified attck helicopter alleged to be providing cover for terrorists, the retired Air Commodore said the government could deny such allegations as long as no clear evidence to hold onto.
The government could deny the helicopter because there are many around. Even the Nigerian Air Force has had some close incidents with unknown aircrafts. What would be overwhelming is the aircraft shot down else anything you put out can be denied.
Retired Air Force officer.
He went further to state that such ammunitions have no business in a rural community not at war.
Such high calibre weapons do not have any business in Kajuru except if the terrorists were also flying attack aircrafts or riding on armoured vehicles.” He said.
Retired Air Force officer…
Middle Belt Times carried out further checks on the 30 and 50mm calibre round and discovered that such ammunitions are typically not used against personnel, but rather as an anti-materiel or armor-piercing round. “Rounds of this size can be effective against lightly armored vehicles as well as fortified bunkers. 30 mm is also a popular calibre for shipboard close-in weapons systems, such as the Russian AK-630 and Dutch Goalkeeper CIWS.” [Wikipedia].
MBT reporter holding a recovered high calibre ammunition
Similarly, the 50mm calibre round is used typically as anti-materiel or armoured-piercint ammunition mostly mounted on attack aircrafts. The question begging for answer is, what could such dangerous weapons be doing in an agrarian community not at war with anybody?
CONCLUSION
While this investigation may not go down well with the powers that be, Middle Belt Times is not out to foment trouble. We are asking every stakeholder to get to grips with themselves and do the needful. Yesterday, it was AK47 riffles. Today, it is a helicopter. We do not know what befalls our communities tomorrow, maybe, chemical or biological weapons.
*HURIWA DEPLORES INABILITY OF SECURITY FORCES TO STOP RISING CRIMES/TERRORISTS INFILTRATION OF FCT
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Tuesday, slammed the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency and other security agencies for their collective failure to fish out some Aso Rock burglars one year after the embarrassing incident.
Robbers, last May, had burgled the residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja and the incident was confirmed by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, also said the incompetence of the security agents and their failure to arrest the Aso Rock burglars has buoyed burglars and bandits so much so that they sacked Abuja villagers and cause hundreds of dwellers to flee their homes despite living in the seat of power, kilometres away from President Muhammadu Buhari.
Residents of rural communities in the FCT have reportedly fled their homes after bandits went on a rampage, killing a 23-year-old man, Nura Mai Gyada, and stealing 36 motorcycles.
According to news reports, daring bandits went on the rampage last weekend in the Adagba community of the Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, kidnapping residents and killing some.
Residents had said the bandits numbering over 100 with sophisticated weapons invaded the community around 9pm on Saturday, divided themselves into groups, moved from house to house while shooting into the air and made away with motorcycles, other valuables and cash.
Several other kidnappings, killings and disturbing attacks have occurred in Abuja in the last two years including the attack and abduction of two Abuja-based journalists of PUNCH Newspapers, Solomon Odeniyi and Amarachi Orjiude, within 24-hours last March; the attack on the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Nigerian Tribune, Leon Usigbe, also in March 2022, the abduction of a PUNCH journalist, Okechukwu Nnodim, in February 2021; amongst numerous others that went unreported in the media.
Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is shameful and a pointer to the inefficiency of all the security agents that one year after daring burglars invaded the residence of a whole Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, a street to that of the President in Aso Villa, the police, the DSS, the Army and others are yet to fish out the perpetrators. Or have they gotten the so-called burglars but failed to revert to Nigerians about the development?
“The whole security architecture are also yet to be ascertained how armed robbers gained access into the ‘well-fortified’ Presidential Villa manned by a combined team of policemen, DSS operatives, and men of the Presidential Guards Brigade of the Nigeria Army. Sadly, till date, this invasion has yet to be resolved.
“Contrastively, more than 725 people have been arrested for storming the United State Capitol building on January 6, 2021. Over 71 rioters have also received criminal sentences, while the rest are waiting for their trials or haven’t yet reached plea agreements for charges ranging from obstruction of an official proceeding to assault.
“The continuous state of insecurity in Nigeria and the shameless incapacity of the security agencies to secure even the FCT is now obvious. If the security agents cannot even secure Aso Villa and the FCT that is about the smallest state if we take it to be a state and the seat of national power, then the hope of the common man is quashed.
“It’s pathetic that FCT residents now flee to the central business district of Abuja over attacks and invasion by marauding bandits in communities outside of the Central Areas of the metropolis.
“The Buhari regime must wake up and proffer radical solutions to the insecurity situation in the country.
“Nigerians must also demand accountability from the security agencies because defence sector got the largest chunk of budget this year. why is nobody being punished for failing to safeguard lives of Nigerians despite that the cardinal role of the government is the security of lives and property? Enough is enough.”
Aprll 26, 2022
Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria,(HURIWA) on Wednesday, said it is very unfortunate that soldiers who should be deployed to confront savage terrorists overrunning Kaduna State are wasting away in Ondo State, protecting Fulani cows.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described as a blatant misplacement of priority, the deployment of soldiers in the entire Southern region of Nigeria including the South-West and South-East zones for purposes such as protection of herders and their cattle.
The group urged the military authorities to recall a sizeable percentage of troops posted to Southern Nigeria and redeploy them to Kaduna to combat bloodthirsty terrorists who have daily invaded the North-West state in the last two weeks, wreaking unprintable havoc including ghoulish killings, bombings and kidnappings.
According to news reports, terrorists killed 17 soldiers and wounded 40 others in an attack at a military base in Polwire, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna this week. This was barely a week after the marauders bombed an Abuja-Kaduna train, killing scores and injuring hundreds while many are still unaccounted for.
The insurgents numbering over 200 had also invaded the Kaduna International Airport, killed an airspace worker and injured many other airport staff, even as they forced a plane from taking off from the airport. Many pockets of gruesome and macabre attacks have been recorded in the last two weeks in Kaduna. The death toll emanating from Kaduna in the last two years is concerning with over 2,000 murdered and over 5,000 killed by terrorists hitherto labelled bandits.
But just as the terrorists are unfortunately overrunning Kaduna, classified a war zone by Governor Nasir el-Rufai and presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, men of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Akure are gallivanting in Ondo, demanding the release of Fulani cows seized by the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun Corps for violating the state anti-open grazing law.
Reacting in the statement released on Wednesday, HURIWA’s Onwubiko described the deployment of soldiers in relatively peaceful states of Southern Nigeria as a misplacement of priority.
Onwubiko said, “It is an established fact that Kaduna State is a war zone going by the carnage committed by terrorists in the last two weeks, especially and going by the description of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; as well as presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina.
“The onslaught by audacious terrorists is unprecedented in the entire North-West and akin to the Boko Haram/ISWAP ferocious attacks in the North-East.
“However, instead of deploying most of its men to the theatre of war to stamp out terrorists overrunning Kaduna State and having a field’s day, the Nigerian Army, sadly, is more concerned about the safety of trespassing cows than the thousands of innocent Nigerians killed by insurgents in Kaduna State month in, month out. This is most unfortunate.
“This sort of misplacement of priority abound in media reports of the past seven years because the Federal Government in Abuja elevated cows to a sacred position far above the sanctity of life. This is why the combat readiness of soldiers are declining because they are being deployed for roles they are unsuited for due to selfish reasons. This is indeed why rampaging Fulani terrorists are killing soldiers and bombing down military jets and nobody is called to account.
“HURIWA urges the service chiefs to face reality and put away ethnic sentiments. Kaduna needs all the soldiers that the military can muster now. War, aside weapon sophistry, is also about numerical strength. Apparently, the terrorists are recruiting en masse. For 200 terrorists to invade an airport at once? Who knows how many hundreds of them bombed the Abuja-Kaduna train, amongst other vicious attacks. The service chiefs should act fast and deploy soldiers lagging away in Southern Nigeria to Kaduna, the new theatre of war in Nigeria. The earlier the better. A word is enough for the wise, the elders say.”
Aprll 6, 2022
Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
Following renewed attacks across Southern Kaduna, the Youth wing of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has charged the people of the area to defend themselves against those they tagged “criminal Fulani terrorists” operating in the area.
In a statement signed by the National Youth Leader, Comrade Isaac John and made available to Middle Belt Times, the group described as worrisome the continued attacks, killings and destruction of properties in the area.
The statement reads in full;
Brethren, we must have observed the reccuring Spade of attacks and killings taking place across our communities in the last few weeks.
Last night Maraban Agban Kagoro came under attack with scores killed, properties and houses burnt by the same terrorists Fulani herders who have vowed to die attacking our kinsmen, one thing we are sure of is the unarguable fact that they shall continue to labour in vain.
it is however worrisome the manner with which this criminals continued to operate with no deliberate attempt by security bodies to intervane or stops these criminal Fulani terrorists from attacking our communities.
The Youth Wing of Southern kaduna People’s Union is again at this time compelled to say Government both at the State and Federal levels have failed to put an end to this mindless attacks on our people and arrest perpetrators.
We are calling on all Sons and Daughters across Southern Kaduna in the face of these cruel killings to defend yourselves in the proportionate ways and manners your lives seems threaten.
We urge us all not to sit and watch while our kinsmen are led to slaughter like lambs, our lands taken, our children butchered and our sisters and daughters raped to death.
Let us be reminded that every inch of Land in Southern Kaduna is an inheritance from our forefathers and remains the exclusive entitlement of our offsprings.
We cannot abandoned or cedes an inch of Southern Kaduna to any coward at this time, not when our forefathers and fathers died protecting it.
It is a noble duty we hand over same which was handed to us to our offsprings.
Brethren fear not the sounds and echoes of death.
For if God is with us, who can stand against us.
“For the LORD our God is he that goeth with us, to fight for us against our enemies, to save us.” Deuteronomy 20:4
Above all brethren lets continue to look up to the heavens from where cometh our help.
God bless Southern Kaduna
End of statement…
On Sunday, terrorists suspected to be Fulani herdsmen launched an attack on Mararaban Agban Kagoro in Kaura local government area of Kaduna state, killing scores and destroying dozens of houses. As at the time of filing this report, the exact number of persons killed and properties destroyed are yet to be ascertained.
