A resident of Zubakpere village in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, Akimeri Adamu, tells ENYIOHA OPARA that people had deserted the community after bandits recently took over the village, kidnapped two men, stole cows and other valuables that are worth millions of naira
What is the situation in your village, Zubakpere, in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State?
Villagers have deserted the village for about one month for fear of being kidnapped by the bandits who have taken over the entire village, putting residents in a hopeless predicament.
How did bandits attack your village?
They came as if they were going to war. They were armed with Ak47 rifles and there were over 40 of them. By the time we realised who they were, they had started shooting indiscriminately. Residents took to their heels. They started looting shops and robbing innocent residents of their valuables worth millions of naira.
The bandits also shot a lot of people, including the vigilantes who were trying to protect us. They overpowered them and made away with many cows, also worth millions of naira. The shops in our community were thoroughly ransacked so they left the owners in abject poverty. Many residents don’t know where to start from as some of them borrowed money to start their businesses. They have lost everything and cannot pay back the money they borrowed from people.
Have the residents who ran away returned?
No! Up till now, we are not back in the village. We left everything behind with the bandits. The entire village was deserted; we left our farm produce and other valuables and ran for our lives. Many people went to Kafi, Sarakin-Pawa, Kuta, Minna and other neighbouring communities.
Economic activities in my area have been paralysed. About 80 per cent of residents are farmers but all the farms have been taken over by bandits. Some of us had not harvested our crops before the bandits struck, so we don’t know where to start. Even if we return home, there is nothing there for us to return to. It is unfortunate.
Some residents find it extremely difficult to locate their family members because the bandits took their phones, so knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones is a problem. We are suffering a lot and help is not forthcoming.
Though my village head has contacted security agencies, concerned stakeholders, council authorities and some others in the state, no one has come to our aid. There is no presence of security personnel in our village to protect lives and property; we are in a deep mess.
How are children going to school?
Schooling is already history to our children; they can’t go to school when there is a crisis. Unfortunately, their contemporaries will be ahead of them by the time the crisis is over.
Even the teachers are running for their lives. Honestly, this is the worst thing that has happened to our village. I don’t think any teacher will come the village unless the government assures them of adequate security. All schools have been closed down as a result of the attack.
Nobody goes to the farm for fear of being kidnapped by the bandits who are virtually everywhere. We are just living from hand to mouth; things are extremely difficult. We have been going through hell since bandits took over our village. It has not been easy for us out there.
What the government provided for us cannot be compared with what we would have provided for ourselves.
Who did the bandits kidnap in your village?
No woman was kidnapped; the bandits were only interested in men. They are interested in kidnapping our men because of the ransom they will get. No woman has been kidnapped since the invasion of our village, but women are helpless without their husbands. They cannot do much on their own hence they have run to different parts of the state, believing that God will touch the hearts of the bandits to release the two men that are still with them. Strange things are happening these days; may God help us!
What do you want government to do?
I want government to pay heed to our calls for the provision of adequate security personnel that can take on the bandits in our community. We need them because our means of livelihood have been totally destroyed. Our village has been ravaged by bandits and kidnappers who kill, rape and abduct people on a daily basis. As I talk to you, bandits are having a field day in my village.
They attack at will without any form of resistance from the security forces and the state government should not pay lip service to the plight of the people who voted them to power. Let me remind government once more that it is their responsibility to protect the lives and property of its citizens. Now that farming season is drawing nearer, government should beef up security to enable residents go to their farms without any fear.
How many casualties were recorded during the attack?
So many of our men sustained varying degrees of injury during the attack; they are at the General Hospital receiving treatment. Cases that the General Hospital could not handle were referred to Federal Medical Centre, Bida for adequate treatment. No death was recorded.
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