By; Bala B. bitrus, Minna.
Over 400 persons were killed in massive pogroms orchestrated by blood thirsty armed herdsmen, hoodlums and Military personnel in communities in three local council areas of Bosso, Shiroro and Munya in Niger state, Senator David Umaru has alleged.
Senator Umaru who represents Niger East Senatorial District at the upper chamber of the National Assembly said several hundreds of his kinsmen have been displaced and rendered homeless, destitute as a result of the killings and destruction.
Speaking in an interview, the Lawmaker who cried out for proactive measures to checkmate and put an end to the unwarranted, incessant killings by armed bandits and security personnel, said the painful events of 2016 where over 400 persons from communities within his senatorial district were senselessly murdered must not be allowed to repeat itself.
Senator Umaru argued that beside the ceaseless threats and wanton destruction from armed bandits which has forced his kinsmen to live in perpetual fear, disoriented and disilutioned, many of his Gbagyi kinsmen were slaughtered by marauding cattle rustlers last year.
In addition according to him, the genocide carried out against his people during the “unjustifiable and unprovoked Military invasion and aggression” at Kpadna, Legbe and other surrounding communities in Bosso local government area led to the death of 22 people and the maiming of scores of others.Senator Umaru is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights. He said several livestock including Cows, Rams, Goats and Sheep were stolen by the assailants while women and girls were abducted, raped and dehumanized by the marauders.The Lawmaker revealed that the invading marauders hybernated in the adjourning bushes and forests of the neighbouring borders of Kaduna and use it as their escape routes.He listed the communities badly affected by the activities of the cruel and criminally minded herdsmen to include Kaure, Kusasun, Mwaignu, Sabon Gida, Kwaki, Ajata, Kushaka, Bagna, Bassa/Kukoki, Allawa in Shiroro and Rafi local government areas among others.
“In Most of the attacks, security operatives always arrive at the scene hours after the blood thirsty hoodlums have perpetrated their acts unhindered while the marauders had safely retreated into their abodes” Umaru lamented.
He appealed for more proactive measures by the federal and Niger state governments to put a stop to the menace just as he called on the federal government to deploy more troops to the area to arrest the orchestrations and pogrom against his people.“I feel it is imperative to call on the federal government and Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello to, as a matter of urgent public importance, take immediate and more effective measures including deployment recting of Police and the personell of the Department of State Security Service to the affected local government area to liberate our people”.Senator Umaru also called on the state government to make public the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry which investigated the causes of the bloody clash between the Military and some villagers in Bosso local government area. He urged the state government to empanell a committee to produce a set White Paper for the implementation of the report which he opined would check further similar acts of aggression and extra judicial killings in the state.
