Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai
- Thousands displaced, village deserted
Over 50 locals in Damari communities of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State were abducted on Saturday night when terrorist invaded the eastern part of the local government and displaced many.
The Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives’ Union (BEPU), in a statement on Sunday night issued by the Chairman, Ishaq Usman Kasai,said in the last five days,they have been alerting the relevant authorities and the general public on the cruel, wicked and heartless attacks by terrorists in Damari following the withdrawal of Ansaru ,a splinter group of Boko Haram from the area.
“The sad event in the last seventy-two hours in Damari town of Kazage Ward in the Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area Kaduna State has reached a catastrophic situation,” he said.
He explained that as at Saturday, ” bandits encircled Damari and abducted about 50 people, shortly before and after troops from Military field-base from Dogon-Dawa went to the town and escorted some remnants of the residents who were willing to move to comfort zones in neighbouring communities and even to as far away Zaria.”
“The most worrisome situation is where a pregnant woman was running away along side her colleagues and was left away by the fleeing groups where she fell down and delivered a baby boy.Unfortunately, both the mother and the baby lost their lives instantly.”
He said “Damari is considered as the largest town in the entire Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari and with this worrisome development, about 20 thousands persons including Women and Children are rendered internally displaced (IDPs).”
“Even today, the bandits returned to the town unchallenged, burnt a vehicle, kidnapped scores, intercepted and maltreated people, a serious development that reflects the level of serious insecurity situation facing our community.”
“This calamitous attrocities of bandits have made the people of Damari, the agrarian community that yearly produced over 600 tonnes of maize grains abandoned their ancestral homes and farms for safety.”
“BEPU is highly concerned over the ugly situation of the citizens of Birnin-Gwari LGA particularly those in the local communities where despite all efforts to draw the attention of higher authorities for action as entails in their constitutional responsibilities has failed.”
“BEPU is deeply sympathizing with all the people of Damari over this trials and assures them of continued efforts towards supporting them in all possible ways especially in humanitarian emergency needs and would never relent on advancing engagement with Government, whose major and primary responsibility as enshrined in the Constitution is the protection of lives and properties of the citizenry, to do the needful.”
Vanguard
