From John Adams, Minna
As the death toll from Monday’s massacre by armed bandits in some communities in Shiroro local government area of Niger State hits 29, the Senator representing Niger East, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, has appealed to the federal government for the establishment of a military base at Alawa, Makatan Junction and Kaure axis in Shiroro local government to check bandit activity.
Senator Musa says that until there a presence of a military base in these border communities between Niger and Kaduna states, the wanton killings and destruction of property by those he described as ‘the enemies of the people’ will continue for a long time.
The senator, while condemning the spate of killings across four local government areas of Shiroro, Paikoro, Munya and Rafi, all in his constituency, in recent times, said the activities of the bandits should be regarded as ethnic cleansing, as he called on the federal government must put an end to the carnage.
The senator, in a personally signed statement on Thursday in Minna, expressed concern that despite previous calls made by himself and other stakeholders from the area on the need for the federal government to establish a military base in the troubled region, ‘not much has been done, and that lives were still being wasted on a daily basis.’
According to him, ‘for the umpteenth time, I appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to please come to the aid of the people of Niger East. The carnage is way too much. The President should as a matter of urgency and importance order the military to establish a base at Alawa axis of the area.’
He pointed out that the Alawa forest in the area harbours criminal elements, adding that ‘if the military establishes their base there, it will scare off the bandits.’
He condemned Monday’s attack, describing it as a barbaric and demonic act which must be stopped by all means possible.
‘I continue to commiserate with the people of Kurebe, Sabon-Gida, Sararai and Rafin Kanya communities over the loss of their loved ones. Truly, I am saddened by the unfortunate incident. It is a barbaric and demonic act, which must be stopped now, and I mean now,’ the senator said.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Monday’s massacre by armed bandits in the area has now reached 29, as four more people were said to have died from gunshot injuries.
Amed bandits had invaded communities in Shiroro local government area of the state, killing no fewer than 25 members of the communities in the early hours of Monday.
Those killed in the bloody attacks were mostly men, with about 30 others were seriously injured.
The bandits also went away with about 50 members of the communities, mostly women and children, in an attack which lasted over three hours.
According to a source close to one of the communities, the bandits, numbering about a hundred, invaded villages in Kwaki in Kurebe/Kushaka Ward of Shiroro local government Monday morning to unleash terror on the people for their refusal to attend a meeting which was held on Sunday between the leaders of the bandits and some communities.
