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| President Muhammadu Buhari |
As insecurity continues to fester across northern Nigeria, a
new set of casualties have been recorded.
No fewer than 20 people were killed
on Tuesday 11th February when bandits said to have numbered over a
hundred stormed Giwa local government of Kaduna state.
Bakali village in the Fatika
district was attacked at about 6:00 pm, armed men were said to have invaded the
village shooting sporadically and setting property on fire. 16 members of one
family are said to have been cramped in a room and set ablaze, farm produce
were also set ablaze.
The spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Muhammed
Jalige, confirmed the incident.
This attack is coming just over two weeks (26th
January) after president Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Air force to carry out
airstrikes against bandits in Niger state and nearby regions in Kaduna state.
On Sunday this week (9th February) Boko Haram attacked stranded travelers
in Borno state killing 30 of them including a pregnant woman and a baby,
several women and children were also said to have been abducted by the
terrorists.
Muhammadu Buhari visited Borno state today (12th
February) to commiserate with the state over the attack. The residents were however
not thrilled, videos surfaced on social media showing Buhari’s convoy being
booed by watchers on both sides of the road.
The people chanted “Bamuaso…Bamuayi”,
these could be translated as “We no longer want you”. In the 2019
Presidential election, Buhari got his widest victory margin in Borno State; he
polled 836,496 out of 955,205 votes cast. This constituted a margin of over 85%.
On 8th Febraury, bandits attacked Shiroro local government in Niger
state killing 5 people and forcing over 1200 out of their homes.
Arsenal of Bandits
The arsenal of the bandits operating in the country is
gradually attracting attention. On 5th February, a patrol helicopter
of the Nigerian Police Force was shot down by bandits in Kaduna state. Police
Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba disclosed this in a press statement said
the terrorist attacked the police using sophisticated anti-aircraft rifles and
General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).
On 25th January, 11 people were killed and 4 women were
kidnapped when bandits attacked Rafi local government. The bandits were said to
utilize helicopters.
Yesterday 11th February, the chairman of Shiroro
local government confirmed that 8 wards of the local government were now under
the control of bandits.
Fighting insecurity, particularly in Northern Nigeria, was a
major campaign promise of Muhammadu Buhari when he pleaded to be voted for in
2015. It has become another item on the to do list of the administration that
has no sign of being fulfilled in the nearest future.
The coming of the APC governments at state and federal
levels in Nigeria spearheaded by Muhammadu Buhari has brought about a drastic
reduction in Boko Haram activities but a concomitant astronomical rise in
banditry, kidnapping and massacres by suspected herdsmen.
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