The women’s wing of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union sounded the alarm on Monday about unrelenting bandit raids in the region, which have resulted in people being killed and kidnapped.
The group specifically criticised Governor Uba Sani for an October 2 incident in which 14 people were killed and 31 others were kidnapped by bandits.
Mrs Jemutu Katarma, the National Women Coordinator of SOPAPU, stated in a statement on Monday that the abductees were still in the hands of the kidnappers and begged the governor to intervene in their recovery.
She said that hundreds of communities in Southern Kaduna had been sacked and some had been taken over by robbers, leaving many people homeless.
Only three of these 12 LGAs in Southern Kaduna, according to Katarma, are free from the grip of bandits; thousands have been slaughtered, homes have been burned, and hundreds have been abducted.
According to Katarma:
“After closely observing the policies, words and actions of Governor Uba Sani since he came to power in May 2023, we have good reasons to believe that he has come to restore hope, confidence and unity to the state. We also see him working with the Federal Government in helping to solve the serious challenge of the security of lives and property of citizens of Kaduna State.
“Of particular note, we want to bring to the attention of His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani, a terrible development that happened to his citizens on 2nd October 2023 in Kachuwe, close to Sarkin Pawa in Niger State. After their villages suffered several invasions from bandits in Chikun, they decided to move to Kachuwe which they thought was safer to start life all over again by farming.
“Unfortunately, bandits stormed the village on 2nd October 2023 and killed 13 male adults and a young girl. Among those killed was a grandfather, Baba Barda Kariya.
“The names of the rest are Ali Nariya, Zakariya Nariya, Markus Nariya, John Nariya, Haruna Nariya, Iko Ali, Vincent Ali, Amos Zakariya, Habila Zakariya, Smalis Markus, Timothy John, Victor Markus and Godiya Markus, the only female killed.”
“They then burnt down the village. They spared only the lives of the old women and sick old men. Then they took away the following females and boys:
“Grace Ali, 25 years; Kauna Ali, 22 years; Murna Ali, 18 years old; Tera Ali, three years old, Rahila Shagari, 18 years old; Sunday Zakaria, 17, Leonard Zakaria, 10; Lucy Zakaria, 11; Blessing Zakaria, 13; Charles Haruna, 10; Tina Amos, 27; Desire Amos, seven; Success Amos, three; and Yemi Benjamin, 27.”
cc: Punch Ng
