Terrorists have abducted an unspecified number of people, including pupils and students of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, Agwara Local Government, Niger State.
The same school where students and pupils were recently abducted and released from captivity.
No fewer than 42 people, including women and children, were killed by the terrorists in the latest attack that has thrown the communities into mourning.
A source close to Kasuwa Daji and Kaima communities, where the attacks were carried out on Saturday, said an unspecified number of villagers were taken away into the Kainji National Park, including some students of the Papiri missionary school, who recently regained their freedom from captivity.
This attack happened barely five days after some bandits fleeing from military operations in Kwara State invaded Gebe and Goro communities in the same Agwara LG; slaughtered two people, and burnt down over 15 houses after looting valuables.
Also, a week ago, a Civil Defence checkpoint within the axis, this time around in Wawa community, Borgu LG, was sacked by gunmen who carted away arms and ammunition while the security personnel ran for safety.
The terrorists, according to a reliable source, have occupied the Kainji National Park, from where they launched constant attacks on communities within the axis.
According to our source, “They killed 37 people in Kasuwa Daji, near Papiri and another five people in Kaima village and abducted many people, including women and children.
“The government and security agencies should come to our rescue as we have a serious crisis across River Rofia, from where they crossed over from Kebbi State to launch attacks and abduct students.
“They came out of the forest for about a week now, causing havoc in the villages. Just on Saturday, they burnt one particular market and abducted so many people, including children.”
Also, director of communications, Catholic Church Diocese of Kontagora, Rev. Father Stephen Kabir at, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the terrorists killed over 40 people and took into captivity an unspecified number of people.
He said,“Our Parish Priest narrowly escaped abduction when the terrorists visited our Mission House three days ago. They destroyed some religious items in the church, carted away two motorbikes and cash worth over N200,000.
“They were looking for the Priest, who escaped by divine intervention, but they abducted some villagers, including children.”
Another villager, while appealing to the relevant authorities, said, “As I am talking to you, some of the villages where the abducted schoolchildren came from have been sleeping in the bush since their return because of the activities of these terrorists.”
Niger state police public relations officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said about 9pm on Saturday, the police received reports that suspected bandits, attacked and killed over 30 persons and abducted an unconfirmed number of persons.
In his statement, Wasiu said, “At about 4:30pm on Saturday, suspected bandits from the National Park Forest, along Kebe District, invaded Kasuwan Daji, located at Demo Village, via Kebe village, and killed over 30 persons, burnt the market; looted shops and carted away food items.”
He further disclosed that “a joint security team has visited the scene and efforts are ongoing to rescue the victims. Further development will be communicated.”
Meanwhile, the state government has said that the bandits were fleeing from US airstrikes in Sokoto and other places.
As at yesterday, there was fear, tension and negative reactions in Agwara and Borgu local governments of the state following the Saturday massacre of 42 people at the weekly market in Kasuwa Deji and Kaima by heavily armed terrorists suspected to be Boko Haram killers.
By Sunday afternoon, the communities were deserted, as the people had relocated to neighboring villages for safety.
Their fear was further heightened following the absence of security agencies who have been overwhelmed by the numerical strength of the terrorists, leaving the people vulnerable to further attacks.
While the men were busy burying the dead under fear and apprehension, the women and children left in large numbers to other communities for safety.
Although the newly sworn Agwara local government council chairman could not be reached for his reactions, a community leader in the area, who did not want his name in print told our correspondent on phone that the aim of the terrorists was to sack the people and occupy their land, stressing that unless the government took drastic action, terrorists would achieve their aim.
“They (terrorists) have seen the Kainji National Park Forest as a safe haven for their permanent camp. There are a lot of mining and timber businesses going on in this area,” he said.
He described as massive the movement of terrorists to the area in recent times and attributed it to the US airstrikes in Sokoto and Kwara states.
However, the former Niger State commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Jonathan Vatsa, described the escalation of bandit attacks across the state as a major setback for the state and the country at large.
Vatsa said it was disturbing that the latest onslaught is coming barely two weeks after the release of the abducted students of Papiri missionary school, stressing that “one would have expected that some security measures should have been put in place in the area to protect the people after the release of the abducted students.”
“The current situation suggests that there is more to be done than just securing the release of the children. This situation is beyond what the state government can handle.
“The Kainji National Park seems to have been taken over by the terrorists, so the federal government needs to wake up to reality. There should be a security plan for the area after the release of those school children,” he submitted.
Vatsa argued that the security situation in the state has greatly affected the developmental initiatives of the current administration, adding that “enormous resources and time have been wasted on dealing with the security issues in the state in the last two years of this administration.”
“ This is enough to derail any administration, because no meaningful development can take place under this current security situation. That is why I maintained that, as a country, we cannot run away from external assistance towards addressing the deplorable security situation,” he said.
However, the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has expressed sadness over the terrorist attack on communities in Borgu and Agwara LGAs of the state.
The governor, in a statement in Minna on Sunday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, described as cruel and heinous the terrorist attack that led to the death of over 42 people, the abduction of several others and the destruction of livelihoods.
The victims of the attack at the Kasuwan Daji Market, Sukumbara Village, were both Muslims and Christians drawn from different communities in Borgu local government area of the state who converged for economic activities.
The governor, who noted that it was disturbing and worrisome to start the year with such unfortunate incidents, however, enjoined the people to remain resolute in God, adding that his administration is collaborating with the federal government and security agencies to improve the security of the affected areas.
He disclosed that a joint security team was trailing the terrorists with a view to rescuing the victims.
The governor then prayed that God will repose the souls of the departed, rescue the kidnapped victims and grant healing to the injured as well as restore livelihoods that were destroyed.
He extended his deepest sympathy to the people of the affected communities, especially the victims and their families.
Meanwhile the state commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nuhu Nana, has said that the escalation in terrorist attacks in parts of the state was due to the US airstrikes in Sokoto and Kwara states which dealt a heavy blow on the terrorists.
The commissioner, on Sunday, pointed out that the terrorists have relocated to parts of the state for fear of further airstrike by the United States of America, hence the current security challenges in the state.
According to him, “Following the US air strikes on terrorists hideouts in Sokoto and kwara States, Boko Haram terrorists, out of fear of further strikes, relocated to some parts of Kebbi State and Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State.”
Credit: The Sun