* Over 300 killed during President Tinubu’s two-week France visit
* As Nigerians ask gov’t to act fast
* Many fast osing hope
* As new terror group, Mahmuda emerges
The bloodshed that Nigeria has witnessed in recent weeks in states like Benue, Plateau, Borno and others has caused so much panic, despair and hopelessness in the country with citizens not knowing where to run to,, DAUDA ISMAIL writes.
Recent weeks have witnessed a resurgence in terrorist attacks ochestrated by members of Boko Haram and other groups, as well as killer herdsmen across the country. Most affected by this resurgence is Plateau and Benue States, which have witnessed repeated attacks over the years.
It has been reported that at least 144 people have been killed by herdsmen in the two North Central states of Plateau and Benue in the last two weeks, while scores of others have been injured, and over 50 houses destroyed.
The latest killings in Plateau came as Governor Caleb Mutfwang announced a prohibition on night grazing, transportation of cattle by vehicles after 7:00 pm, and a restriction on the use of motorcycles from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am across the state until further notice, as part of measures to ward off the marauding herdsmen.
Just on Monday, April 14, gunmen attacked Zike and Kimakpa communities in Plateau State’s Bassa Local Government, which claimed a reported 51 lives. This is despite both communities’ proximity of about five kilometres range to the 3 Division Headquarters of the Nigerian Army.
Monday’s attack came less than two weeks after armed men also struck multiple villages in the Bokkos area of the state, killing over 80 people, according to Amnesty International, AI,
residents of the affected communities voiced their frustrations over the lack of security response, wondering why the military personnel stationed nearby did not intervene to prevent the attacks or minimise the damage.
“The fact that the attacks occurred without immediate intervention from the nearby military base has raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures in the area. Given the close proximity of the communities to the military base, it would be expected that security forces could respond quickly to such incidents,”a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted to have said.
“Amnesty International strongly condemned the recent killings in Plateau, saying: ” Many of the victims of last Monday’s deadly attack that could not run — including children and the elderly — were slaughtered and left in pools of blood. The inexcusable security lapses that enabled this horrific attack[s], two weeks after the killing of 52 people, must be investigated.
“Issuing bland statements condemning these horrific attacks is not enough, and genuine commitment to protecting the people must be demonstrated by ensuring adequate security of lives and property, as well as ensuring justice for the victims. Consistent failure of the authorities to bring the actual suspected perpetrators to justice is emboldening impunity.”
“In Plateau State, from December 2023 to February 2024, at least 1,336 people were killed. Of those killed, 533 were women, 263 were children, and 540 were men. Over 29,554 people were displaced, out of which 13,093 were children while 16,461 were women.”
“The patterns of recent deadly attacks on the rural areas of Plateau State clearly show the Nigerian authorities have left these communities at the mercy of rampaging gunmen. Nigerian authorities’ failure to tame the tide of this horrific violence is costing people’s lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action, many more lives may be lost.”
In a similar vein, residents of communities in Benue State also claimed that they have been abandoned by the government.
Recall that serveral communities in Benue recently came under we’ll ochestrated attacks by suspected killer herdsmen.
For instance,.suspected killer herdsmen invaded Gbagir community of Ukum Local Government Area of the state targeting worshippers going to Church on Good Friday.
The attack reportedly left at least ten persons dead and many others wounded.
According to a local source, the assailants, reportedly armed with AK-47 rifles, stormed the town in the early hours of Friday when people were going to the church in the community. He confirmed the attack, explaining that it happened in the early hours of Friday around 6:00am.
According to the source:“The herdsmen invaded neighbouring Community of Chito first on Thursday, killed two people. Today (Friday), they invaded our community and killed 10 people including our women and children.
“So many other people about, 25 of them were equally wounded and we don’t know how many people are going to survive.”
Lamenting the incessant attack by herdsmen, he claimed that in all the attacks, no government security came to their aid.
Yet these attacks are not restricted to Benue and Plateau States alone. Such attacks have also been reported in Edo, Enugu, Borno, Ebonyi, Niger, Kwara, Katsina and others. In the case of Borno, Boko Haram terrorists have resumed attacks across communities and targeting military and other security operatives. Little wonder the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has lamented the resurgence of Boko Haram in the state, saying the recent renewed attacks are an indication that the government is losing ground.
He disclosed this during a recent Special Expanded Security Meeting in the Government House, which saw the attendance of General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Abubakar Haruna, Sector Commanders, Commissioner of Police, heads of other security agencies, and traditional rulers.
The governor expressed dissatisfaction with the current security situation of the state, while insisting that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities, almost on a daily basis, without confrontation, signalled that Borno State is losing ground.
He said, “As I address this important gathering today, it is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities, almost on a daily basis without confrontation, signalled that Borno State is losing ground.”
Speaking, the Shehu of Borno, hailed security agencies in the fight against terrorism, but emphasised that about three local government areas of Guzamala, Marte, Abbadam and some parts of Mobbar are still under the total control of Boko Haram.
He said most of these communities are without civil authority, while calling for proactive measures to tame the resurgence before it escalates.
Some independent reports claim that not less than 300 Nigerians lost their lives during President Tinubu’s recent two-week working visit to France. Many have therefore called on the government to step up and act fast as Nigerians are fast losing hope.
“Government must act fast to save it’s citizens from the hands of these marauding terrorists because many are losing hope in the Government’s ability to protect their lives and property and that is a very bad precedence,” Muktar Abubakar, a resident of Plateau State told this medium.
Meanwhile, emerging reports indicate that a new terror group,Mahmuda, has emerged in the North Central part of the country, terrorising residents of rural communities around the Kainji Lake National Park, KLNP which falls between Niger and Kwara States.
Some affected communities are in Kaiama Local Government Area (Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, Nanu) and Barutein Local Government Area (villages in Yashikira District), both in Kwara.
The sources added that the group has also taken over communities in Babana and Wawa District in Borgu Local Government in Niger.
The militants were reported to have attacked a vigilante group on Wednesday, April 16, in Kemanji, killing over 15 members and villagers.
“They called themselves Mahmuda group. Their leader in a voice note is threatening all the communities. They kill and kidnap victims and also demand ransom,”one of the sources said.
