The Nigerian women’s wing of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, on Monday, raised the alarm over unremitting bandit attacks in the region, leading to residents being killed and kidnapped.
The group particularly cried out to Governor Uba Sani over an October 2 attack in which 14 persons were killed while 31 persons were kidnapped by bandits.
The National Women Coordinator of SOPAPU, Mrs Jemutu Katarma, in a statement on Monday, said the abductees were still in the den of the kidnappers and urged the governor to see to their rescue.
She said hundreds of villages in Southern Kaduna had been sacked and some taken over by bandits while many people had been rendered homeless.
Katarma said only three out of these 12 LGAs in Southern Kaduna are not under the stranglehold of bandits, as thousands had been killed, houses burnt and hundreds kidnapped.
“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.”
According to the group, the bandits, after the killing, also looted the village of foodstuffs and animals.
“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.”
