Sola Ojo, Kaduna

Northern youth group, Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), yesterday, said that no fewer than 11,000 men were killed by bandits activities in Zamafara State in the last eight years.

The group described the deceased as breadwinners who left behind over 22,000 widows and 44,000 orphans.

It also  raised the alarm that some of the 44,000 orphanes were  recruited by marauding bandits terrorizing the North-West and some North-Central states.

The group said, the statistics was part of the outcome of a research it carried out as part of measures to finding the root causes of the persistent security challenges in the area.

National President of AYF, Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, who made the disclosure  in a statement in Kaduna expressed fear that, “Nigeria is sitting on a volcano of humanitarian and security challenges brewing and about to erupt with a looming consequences”.

“It is with great concern over the incessant and prevailing security situation in the North West, particularly Zamfara state, that the Arewa Youth Forum  decided to as a matter of utmost urgency intervene in finding a lasting solution.

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“It is worrisome that the present situation of incessant and barbaric killings, maimings, kidnapping for ransom, rape, cattle rustling and wanton destruction of property and economic livelihood assets by devilish forces of evil and blood thirsty insurgents has reached an unimaginable and horrendous proportion in a region which was hitherto  peaceful and calm, called northern Nigeria. In fact, hardly a day passes without such incidents occurring.

“Therefore, in view of this state of affairs and pursuant to Arewa Youth Forum’s Conflict Mitigation and Peace Building (CMPB) Project, we undertook a deep and holistic research aimed at finding out the root causes of the persistent security challenge, with a view of finding lasting and sustainable solution.

“Our preliminary findings showed that within eight  dark years of banditry  in Zamfara State, a conservative figure of about 11,000 adult males that were bread-winners of their families were killed, leaving behind an estimated conservative figure of about  22,000  widows (with at least two two wives to a person), and in another alarming breath, an estimated conservative figure of 44,000 orphans at an average of four children to a deceased person. A very conservative estimate indeed for this figure could be a double or triple of this.

“It is worthy to note that in terms of frequency and the alarming casualty ratio, Zamfara State is ahead of many states in the Country that experiences security challenges, but alas, receives less prominence in terms of attention from mainstream media in terms of objective clarion call reporting, and most importantly, Federal Government’s attention based on recognition and intervention.

“The humanitarian catastrophe in Zamfara State is very disturbing, horrible and portends great danger to Nigeria’s national security interests. Therefore, to complement the ongoing process of security operations across-board, there is a need, for an urgent and strategic solution, which is to target one of the key breeding grounds of banditry in the North-West, Zamfara State, and give it the required attention it deserves.

“The orphaned children, due to their dire situation of pain, trauma, depression, lack of care, hunger, abject poverty-stricken life, helplessness of their widowed mothers to fill the gaps as created by an unforeseen situation left by their deceased fathers, lack of compassion from society from whom they expect succur and compassion but feel ignored, will undoubtedly, become easy prey and willing tools in the hands of criminal elements that pays them pittance and recruit them.

“Unfortunately, due to their huge number, these recruited orphans that become bandits due to hopelessness in life, have added to the number of these marauding criminal elements. Hence, Banditry has now spread into neighboring States with whom Zamfara State share borders, namely, Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, and now, Nasarawa State.”