- Woman loses husband, 3 children, in attack
From GYANG BERE, JOS
Life has no meaning any more for 94-year-old Adamu Rangu, whose family members were wiped out when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded Nkyie Doghwro village in Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday October 16, 2017, leaving behind 29 persons dead.
Though the aged man survived the gruesome killing, seven members of his family perished in the attack at the two-classroom block of primary school in Nkyie Doghwro where women, children and the weak were taking refuge for fear of Fulani herdsmen invasion of the village.
Right now, Adamu is helpless and hopeless; he is a living dead and a walking corpse as he watched in tears and utter disbelief how the lifeless bodies of seven members of his family were wrapped in their pool of blood when the dead were buried in one grave.
He lost his aged wife Tabitha, two children; Bala and Ishaya as well as four grandchildren who were taking refuge at the primary school, where men of the Special Task Force in charge of internal security in Jos and environs were on guard.
How he escaped death
Adamu opted not to sleep in the classroom but remained in his house close to the school that fateful night when he watched helplessly as the gunmen rained hot bullets on his family and other victims. The cries for help and unending grief of his wife, children and grandchildren will ever remain green in his memory.
The aged man is left to fend for himself as all he laboured for in his 94 years was wiped out within a twinkling of an eye. Our reporter had an encounter with Adamu shortly after the mass burial of the victims, dragging his feet as women and children fled the village to Jos city for safety.
Adamu, who lacks the strength to move fast was conveyed with his loads to Miango by some good Samaritans when people were fleeing the village on hearing rumour of another imminent attack.
“I have never seen a thing like this. Why will this kind of thing happen to me at my old age? Where am I going now? I have lost all I laboured for, my children were my greatest assets and they were all killed in a day.
“I was told to go to the classroom but I couldn’t go in immediately, I don’t know what held me back at home, I prefer to have died than losing my wife, children and grandchildren in that manner, where will I start from, who do I go to now?”
Another pathetic case
The case of 45-year-old Lami Danladi, a mother of four, is equally very pathetic. Luckily, she survived four gunshots while struggling with her children for escape from the classroom of death.
She lost three of her children; Queen 10, Friday 7, and two-year-old Mary who was shot in the back that fateful night. In addition, Lami lost her husband, Danladi Ishaya who was also inside the classroom while only five-year-old Victoria who had gone to Miango town, escaped death beside her mother from the family.
Lami who is nursing gunshot injuries at Enos hospital, Miango, recalls that five days after killing of three persons in the neighbouring village of Nzhweruvo, the villagers converged at a primary school in the village for protection under the watch of the Special Task Force (STF) due to lack of proximity of households in the village.
Some households who had relations in Miango town had fled from the village when harbingers of horror came calling at about 8pm, shooting directly into the classroom where over 60 persons were sleeping.
“I was inside the class with my three children and husband. I did not know what happened, suddenly I heard gunshots directly inside the classroom, women and children were crying as they ran to escape.
“I took my two-year-old daughter, Mary and backed her while the gunmen were firing directly towards my location, I hid myself with the school desk and was able to come out through the door, I started running with the child on my back, unfortunately, one of the attackers heard my foot step and shot directly at me, the bullet penetrated through my shoulder and killed my child on my back.
“I didn’t know that my husband was already killed, my two children in the classroom became helpless, they died of gunshot injures. I don’t want to recall this horrible experience, I was shot four times and none of the bullets got me well, they pierced my skin and I was taken to the hospital.”
More survivors’tales
Similarly, a 10-year-old Primary Four pupil, Joshua Samuel escaped narrowly.
He lost his stepmother, Yari Aga and his 50-year-old uncle, Tegbi Shweh while his five-year-old cousin was amputated on the leg due to gunshots.
Joshua who was shot on his finger hid himself among the dead and held his breath, pretending to be dead. He came out when he realised that people from neighbouring communities had come to rescue the injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Thirty-two-year-old Monday Teh is mostly devastated by the killing of his two wives who had the same name, Kande, his son and his brother.
Monday, who sighted the gunmen when he was about to enter the classroom and immediately retreated to safety gave account of how the incident happened.
“It was about 8pm when members of the community had converged in the classroom where we have been sleeping for about six days after unabated attacks in neighbouring villages. We decided to live together in the primary school because the security guaranty for our safety.
“On that fateful night, I was outside and about to go into the classroom to rest before going out for patrol, suddenly I saw men in black cloths and military trousers, carrying gun. I laid down immediately and crawled down into the bush and they started shooting.
“I had nothing on me, there was nothing I could do…(cried)…I heard the cry of my wife and son and their voices faded out gradually and I knew that they were dead. When the shooting started, I didn’t see any of the soldiers, I only heard them encouraging our people to go into the classroom that they will protect us but unfortunately, they all ran and left us to our fate.
“We raised alarm that night, 30 minutes after the attack, nobody came to our rescue, we had to call people from Miango town for assistance and so many youths came that night. The following morning, we went into the room and picked the corpses, my son, two wives and brother were among.”
Mrs. Lisa Bonu, mother of nine, lost her husband also. She was shot on the head and her left hand was amputated due to gunshot. She was lucky to have sent her nine children to Miango town a day before the gory killing.
Town union kicks
National President of Irigwe Development Association, Mr. Sunday Abdu said the curfew imposed on Bassa Local Government Area by Governor Simon Lalong did not help the situation. He confirmed that 27 persons were given mass burial in the village, two injured persons later died at Enos hospital while several others were injured.
“We have continually woken up to the news of attacks each day, leaving tears, sorrow, despair and apprehension on our helpless people. For the avoidance of doubt, attack took place the day the curfew was imposed and after Ncha attack that left 24 persons dead, several killings and burning of houses have continued in Irigwe Chiefdom of Miango.
“Two persons were killed including a soldier on September 9, 2017. One person was killed and another injured in Nkie Dongwro on October 8, 2017 and a young man, Solomon Elisha was allegedly killed by a mobile policeman on October 10, 2017 in Kpachudu village.
“At Nzhweruvo and Tafigana village, three persons were killed and houses razed down on October 11, 2017 and six persons were killed, five injured and houses burnt at Taegbe village, a day the State Government imposed curfew and 29 killed at a school used as a camp and protected by security at Nkyie Doghwro village on October 16, 2017.”
We will investigate soldiers complicity- Military
Military Special Task Force (STF) code named Operation Safe Haven deployed to restore law and order in Plateau, said it will investigate the involvement of soldiers on duty at the Nkiedonwhro village of Bassa Local Government Area.
Commander of the taskforce, Major General Anthony Atolagbe, said the soldiers have been sent to the headquarters of the task force for proper investigation on how the attack took place in the village under their watch, especially that curfew was imposed on the village and there was supposed to be restriction of movement.
Governor Simon Lalong was short of words when he visited the devastated community where women, children and the aged running into thousands have been displaced, carrying their loads on their heads and dragging their children to unknown destinations.
Lalong pleaded for calm and ordered security operatives to fish out the perpetrators of the gory killing for prosecution in accordance to the law.