Ten residents killed, several others flee homes as gunmen invade communities

Ten residents killed, several others flee homes as gunmen invade communities

Terrorists stormed communities around the newly discovered oil field in the Alkaleri Local Government of Bauchi State, killing ten residents.

Local authorities told Premium Times that at least 10 people were killed, and residents are being kidnapped daily as others flee villages in the area in droves due to fear for their safety.

A councillor for Maimadi ward Sa’adu Jibrin in one of the terrorised communities said that the gunmen are carrying out attacks in the area unchallenged.

“The kidnapping for ransom is now rampant. In less than 20 days about 30 people were kidnapped, and the least ransom paid was N2 million. They killed at least ten people within a few weeks.

“The area is now blessed with oil which will attract more people for investment, but that can only happen if the place is secure. The gunmen went to the oil drilling site and kidnapped a household leader whose residence is less than a kilometre from where President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the oil drilling. The kidnap happened after the president’s visit. Two people were Sa’adu Jibrin in the very location.

“At Mai -Arin Kudu community, they killed one person and kidnapped his wife. At Zadawa, they killed a youth leader, we just returned from Gombe, and they fired at him up to seven times, after killing him, they went away with his mother and elder sister. In Mai-Arin Aware community, they killed a father and went away with their son. In the Garfatu community, they killed a vigilante leader and kidnapped his daughter,” he said.

“Residents are fleeing daily for safety. The complaints we do receive from the locals are their concerns about how to address the situation. Many have attributed the upsurge in the attacks to the newly discovered oil in the areas but that might not be so,” Mr Jibrin said.

He said the Alkaleri Local Government shares a boundary with Yankari Game Reserve, perhaps Nigeria’s most popular game reserve. He said the gunmen have hideouts in the forest.

“The gunmen are strangers in the area, they are using local informants in our communities to carry out the kidnap activities, he added.

Over a thousand households flee
The area has three districts which consist of Pali, Gwana, and Duguri each with district heads under the Alkaleri local government area.

The oil field is located in the Pali district. Residents of the area are fleeing to Alkaleri town, the local council headquarters, and others are fleeing to Misau local government area and neighbouring Gombe State.

He identified the affected communities in Pali district as Jada, Mai Arin-Kudu, Dani, Kufa, Bubu, Papa, Kuturun Kuka, Tudun Wadan Jada, Zadawa and Bambu.

He said other towns are Gachiri, Maimadi, Shugu, Garfatu, Mai Arin-Arewa, Dakai, Maso Kano, Kwanan Kuka, Yola, and Bakin Ruwa.

The police spokesperson in Bauchi, Muhammed Wakil, could not be reached for comments on the growing insecurity in the area. But on Thursday Mr Wakil, in a statement to reporters confirmed the rescue of kidnapped victims in the areas.

The police said on 7 December, suspected kidnappers stormed Gurtum village in Pali district in the Alkaleri local government area and abducted three persons from Gurtum village to an unknown destination during the midnight raid.

“Consequently, a team of Policemen and other local vigilantes led by the Divisional Police Officer, Maina-Maji Division, swiftly mobilised in a coordinated operation.

“On reaching the scene, the kidnappers opened fire on sighting the operatives. While returning fire, the kidnappers were subdued as a result of sustained gunfire from the operatives, which forced the kidnappers to scamper away with possible gunshots (wounds) and abandoned their victims.

“The operation was successful, as all the victims were rescued unhurt and reunited with their family members. The victims were identified as Hafsatu Sa’idu, 35, Adama Sule, 28, Maryam Sa’idu, 14, all of Gurtum Village Pali District Alkaleri LGA, Bauchi State,” the police statement said.