Suspected Fulani herdsmen yesterday killed 13 people and destroyed more than 50 houses in fresh attacks on Wukari villages in Taraba state, BBC Hausa Radio reported.
Similar attack from gunmen on Bishu village of Wukari local government a day earlier also claimed the lives of
six people, the BBC report said.
Mr Zondu Huku, leader of the Jikun Youth Association said there were about 50-suspected Fulani herdsmen who stormed Muba village, dominated by Jukun ethnic group, at around 7am yesterday and killed seven people instantly.
But the herders in the area have distanced themselves from the atrocity, describing it as “baseless” and without evidence.
Speaking via telephone, Huku said “At around 7am, there is a Jikun village called Muba, which came under the attack of Fulani, totaling 50. They came with heavy weapons and killed seven people.
“One person is still missing; although we don’t know whether is also dead or he is still alive. We are now preparing to go for the funeral of the seven slain people in the village.”
But while reacting to the allegation against them, a Fulani herder, Malam Audu Ali said “this accusation of an attack is baseless. We are not aware of it.
“They are the ones who possess weapons. They have guns, and that is why they chased us out of our homes
in Wukari. We don’t have weapons. It may even be that the attackers came from amongst themselves, because
we are unaware of anything like that.”
When he was told of the Jikun people’s recognition of the attackers as Fulani herders, Malam Ali replied that “if they are insisting that Fulani are the ones who did that (attack) on the village, let them show it, let them come up with any evidence. This is just a mere allegation.”
DailyTrust
Gusau—Few days after the visit of the National President of the Cattle Rearers Association to Zamfara State, to reconcile the warning farmers/fulanis clans, no fewer than 23 were reported to have lost their lives in Hura Girke village of Wonaka district of Gusau Local Government Area of the state.
About 80 are also currently receiving medical treatment at Mada Hospital as a result of injuries they sustained
while escaping.
It was gathered that people suspected to be Fulani cattle rustlers stormed the village in the late hours of Sunday and gunned down a number of people at the entrance of the village before entering into their property.
After they succeeded in entering the property, they started shooting indiscriminately. The gunmen numbering about 60 and armed with different dangerous weapons, including AK 47 rifles, arrived the community on motorcycles.
Source close to the area said the gunmen made several attempts to expand the attack, but for the intervention of security operatives, who repelled them.
“Their mission was a reprisal one,” added the source.
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of the state while condoling with the families of the victims, expressed sadness over
the situation and assure the people of his government’s readiness to bring those involved to the book.
Yari who was represented by his Commissioner of Special duties, Alhaji Sani Gusau, said arrangements will soon be made for their assistance and appealed to the people of the state to stop taking laws into their hands.
At least five people have been killed by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in an early morning attack on Fadan Karshi village in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Friday, July 18.
The latest attack comes less than a month after about 200 people were killed in seven communities within the
same local government.
The Local Government Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Adamu told Channels Television on telephone, that the
gunmen stormed the village at about 4:45am and started shooting at people and in the process killed five natives and injured many others.
Those who could run were able to escape the onslaught, leaving the weak and aged who fell victims of the attack.
Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has witnessed so many violent attacks by suspected Fulani
herdsmen since the beginning of this year.
In the meantime, the council chairman said soldiers have been drafted to the area to beef up security in the area.
Courtesy:
Channels Television
Dille village in Askira Uba Local
government of Borno State came under heavy attack at the early hours of yesterday when gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members launched an offensive on hapless dwellers, killing five people and torching houses, including three churches, witnesses said.
The village which lies about 200km south of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, also shares borders with the peripheries of Sambisa Forest where it is believed the Boko Haram gunmen are currently hiding.
Mr Jabani Gadzama, a resident of Dille, told journalists that the gunmen came with three Toyota Hilux vehicles and several motorcycles.
“They were using some kind of petrol
bombs to set ablaze three churches,
residential houses including that of a
former Commissioner of Sports and
Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Daniel Ijai Mamza, who served during former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff’s tenure.
“The attackers were only targeting and setting ablaze better houses within the village while most of the thatched and mud houses were left untouched.
“The Church of Brethern in Nigeria (EYN) was one amongst the three churches that were set ablaze by the gunmen, who were all dressed like soldiers”, said Mr Gadzama, who also confirmed that the gunmen operated for hours until an Airforce fighter jet arrived at about 8am before it engaged them at the time the insurgents were about leaving.
“Many of them were said to have been
killed by the insurgents, but we cannot confirm that now,” he said.
An insider at the 7-Division of the Nigeria Army, Maiduguri, hinted journalists that two jet fighters arrived Dille and saved the villagers from being killed any further.
The source, who begged not to be
quoted, noted many of the insurgents
were killed by the jets, even as five more persons got killed died in the cross fire when the jet arrived.
Killing in Plateau State:
In a related development, at least 11 persons have been feared killed by armed gunmen at Zamadede of Pil-Gani district of Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
LEADERSHIP gathered that unknown
gunmen at the early hours of yesterday morning attacked two communities and shot sporadically, killing 11 persons including a 45-year-old mother, her little son and a pregnant woman.
A source who spoke to our reporter
further said several homes were burned.
An eyewitness who lost two members of her family, Mrs Baby Hosea, lamented to our reporter on phone that her people were killed in their sleep.
Confirming the development, the member representing Langtang North and South constituency in the House of Representatives Hon. Beni Lar expressed worry at the recent attacks on her constituents.
The lawmaker, in a chat with newsmen at her family residence in Jos, said the attack had shaken the foundation of the peace being enjoyed by the people.
She described the Zama Dede community as peace loving and hard working farmers that the two local governments depends on due to the large crops they produced.
She wondered why some people would be so cruel to take the lives of innocent citizens, particularly at the time the federal government, through the national conference, was trying to find a lasting solution to clashes between farmers and herdsmen.
The lawmaker also appealed to the people of her constituents to remain law abiding .
When contacted DSP Abu Emmanuel, the police public relations officer said that men of the Police force are trying to get the details and would get back to our correspondent when he has the details of the attack.
At least 45 people were killed, 95 hurt and 200 houses razed in Gashaka, Bashiri, Panwen, Barimini, Sabongida Zaga and Suntai in Bali local government area of Taraba State when gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen invaded a Tiv settlement.
The incident was confirmed by the state police yesterday also stated that the chief of Tiv’s representative in Zaki Koti Anyima in Bali LGA was among those killed.
According to reports from Leadership, a witness said that, the armed men numbering over 120 invaded the villages at about 1:42am on Saturday
after a heavy downpour and engaged in shooting and burning of houses.
Ngada, who said he narrowly escaped the attack stated that over 55 people were killed by the Fulani, who injured over 95 others and razed down over 200 houses.
He said the invaders were identified to be Fulani herdsmen who had been terrorizing and killing innocent people in the southern part of the state.
“None of us knows what the Fulanis actually want. Three months ago, we all signed an agreement to put an end to all these killings, but we don’t know their reason for all these attacks and killings,” he said.
According to the spokesman of the state police command, ASP Joseph Kwaji, five people were killed by the attackers in Sabongida Zaga and Suntai districts in Bali local government area of the state.
He also confirmed that the chief of Tiv’s representative in Zaki Koti Anyima was killed by the attackers.
He noted that the command had since Friday drafted its men to the affected villages while investigation into the matter continued.
Courtesy:
today.ng
More than 50 people have died today in a violent religious and ethnic conflict that engulfed Taraba State today. A military source who spoke to our reporter added that many more people sustained serious injuries.
Our source disclosed that the ethno-religious fight broke out in Wukari and Ibi towns in Taraba State. “In addition to those who died, over 100 people are badly injured and receiving medical attention in several hospitals in the state,” said the military source.
According to the military officer, “The fight started in Wukari and we were drafted there. While we were there, we received a report that the fight had escalated to Ibi town. Some soldiers were then drafted there and they are carrying out patrols now, but I and a troop of soldiers remain in Wukari.”
The soldier, who disclosed that the fight broke out between Hausa-Fulani Muslims and Jukun Christians, revealed that he and other soldiers had counted more than 50 corpses on both sides of the combatants in addition to more than 100 injured victims.
The military source reported that the warring sides had destroyed and burnt numerous houses and business premises. He stated that hundreds of displaced people had fled the area for safety. He also reported that the combatants used sophisticated weapons in carrying out their attacks. “If we had not arrived in full force to contain the situation, many more people would have died because of the caliber of weapons used in this war,” he said. He assured that the soldiers deployed to the two affected towns would be equal to the task of maintaining peace.
Source:
SR
The Special Task Force (STF) in-charge of internal security in Plateau State yesterday confirmed the abduction of a foreign national in the state by suspected kidnappers.
The abducted victim identified as a British national working with Rick Rock Construction company was declared missing in Langtang North Local Government Area of the state.
Media and Information Officer of the STF, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, who confirmed the unhealthy development, noted that the incident occurred on Saturday morning, stressing that the Task Force had commenced intensive search for the foreigner in the area. According to him, efforts are on top gear with other law enforcement agents to search the entire area so as to yield desired result.
Sunday Mirror gathered that the Nigerian Police Langtang Division and soldiers last night invaded the LGA at about 8pm in search of the missing victim but were yet to make locate his whereabouts as at the time of filling this report.
Meanwhile, the Berom community in the state yesterday expressed fresh concern over incessant attacks by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in the state.
The gunmen, they said, are daily stationed in the mountains and rocks from where they launch attacks on identified Berom communities.
The National Caretaker Chairman of Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Mr. Rwang Dantong, in a statement issued in Jos yesterday, maintained that the aim of the attacks which he noted had led to the killing several people and destruction of property was aimed at forcefully ejecting the residents from their ancestral homes.
The statement alleged that the most worrisome aspect of the attacks was the involvement of security agents who connive with the attackers to unleash mayhem on the communities.
He listed some of the communities which had been taken over by the gunmen to include Rakok, Kubong, Dogo, Gyo, Pwa-Beduk, Rantis and Sharu in Barki Ladi Local Government Area of the state. Others, according to him, include Mase, Shong 2, Rakweng and Kampwas in Riyom LGA.
While expressing the helplessness of the people to confront the gunmen, the statement called on the Federal Government to intervene in the situation so as to prevent further loss of lives in the affected communities.
The Borno State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, known by the acronym MACBAN, on Thursday, denied media reports that Fulani women were abducted by Boko Haram members in Borno last week.
Alhaji Amadu Musa, who is Chairman of the MACBAN in Borno State, in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri, the state capital, said the reported abduction of 20 Fulani women was “not true.”
“We need to tell the world that there is nothing like that. All (of) our women and girls are (safe and) intact. It takes us this long to respond because; we made series of consultations to avoid issuing conflicting statements that will generate tension.
“Though our people are nomads who frequently move in search of pasture, I have representatives in all the 27 local government areas of Borno State. We have lamido’s and Ardo’s in all localities. We took the time to consult all of them, and there was no reported incident of abduction. I believe the whole furor is the creation of some people,” Alhaji Amadu Musa said in his talks with reporters.
He added that, “our representatives in all towns and villages near Chibok, met on Thursday at Askira Uba, and none of the officials had any incident of abduction in his domain. We equally crosschecked with our people coming back with their cows, and families, to the extreme northern part of Nigeria from (the) southern part of the country, and confirmed that all are well,” Alhaji Amadu Musa concluded.
SR
Reports say armed men purported to be Fulani Herdsmen attacked Me-Sankwai, Tekum and Ungwan Gatah villages in Moro'a Chiefdom, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, North Central Nigeria, killing at least 100 people including women and children in the early hours of Saturday morning. Several homes were also set ablaze by the rampaging assailants.
A while ago, about 100 people were killed in Katsina State. Benue State also witnessed wanton killings. Is Nigeria turning into a slaughter house?
Enough of this bloodletting!!!
