Yakubu Danladi, a seven year old boy, went out last Saturday to join other members of the community to celebrate the annual festival of Zarache. After the initial rituals, he moved with the elderly members of the community on a hunting expedition that saw them journeying for a long distance.
Although he was fatigued, the excitement the exercise provided kept him going as he looked forward to getting home to share his experience with his peers who would not dare the trip. But his plans were shattered towards the end of the ceremony as killer herdsmen swooped on them and shot indiscriminately.
Although Yakubu narrowly escaped being hit by a bullet, he was not lucky enough to escape bloody injuries. He had in his head a machete cut that left a big gash on his skull. He was not able to talk yet when The Nation called at Enos Hospital where he and many other survivors of killer herders’ attacks were admitted.
His distraught mother who sat beside him on his hospital bed said: “He went hunting with the adults during the festival. We did not even know that he went with them.
“In the course of the attack, the herders cut his head with a machete. He cannot talk now. His condition makes us sad.
“I don’t know how we would raise money to settle his bills. Our farm produce that could have fetched us money was destroyed by cattle. The menace of herders in this area is worrisome. They are bringing untold sorrow to our community,” she added.
Zanjo Patrick, 27, was not as lucky as Yakubu as he tried to flee from the assailants. He was shot in the neck and left writhing in pains.
“On Sunday, we went for the final rites and that was where the herders attacked us,” he said.
“They shot me in the back of my neck. Three of us were shot at the spot. The two others have been discharged.
“I saw that two of my people that were shot and killed instantly. I learnt they were buried on Sunday.
“We have a festival here that we celebrate annually. The festival started on Saturday, which was April 2.”
Another survivor, Bari Dauda, escaped unscathed but fell badly in the course of fleeing and sustained serious injuries.
He said: “I was coming back on Sunday from the last point of our annual festival when the herders attacked me and others. I fell badly and injured my neck and leg while fleeing from the murderous herders who were shooting sporadically.”
Before the April 2 attacks, checks revealed that there had been many others in which children and adults were killed.
For Madam Ladi Ize, a 75 year-old member of the community, it was a case of compounded woes. She had lost her son, and while mourning his demise in the company of other relations, some killer herdsmen stormed the premises and shot at everyone and everything in sight.
By the time the smoke from their guns cleared, three of the mourners lay dead while the septuagenarian woman was hit by a bullet.
Speaking through an interpreter, Madam Ize said: “The incident occurred on March 28. I lost one of my sons and went for the burial. But while we were there, the herders came and attacked us. They killed three female mourners that very night. I was shot on my rib but I managed to escape with my two grandchildren.”
A day before the attack on Madam Ize’s area, the gunmen had attacked another area, killing one person in the process. A survivor of the incident, Ishaya John, told our correspondent on his hospital bed that it was a dark moment in his life.
John said: “On the 29th of March, I was sleeping in the house at about 10pm. I heard a gunshot and woke up. When I peeped through the window, I saw the herders surrounding the whole house.
“Before I could think of escaping, they broke the door and entered the house. They shot me in the ribs. After shooting me, I lay down half dead and they thought that I was dead.
“I fell face down. They lifted me to see if I was still breathing, and knowing what they were up to, I pretended to have died and they dropped me on the ground. When they saw that I was not moving, they left.
“After they had left, I was still hearing gunshots so I remained on the ground. They later came back to check if I was alive or dead.
“Other members of my family had fled before the assailants came. They thought I had run away, but unknown to them, I was sleeping inside the house.
“The gunmen killed one person in the neighbourhood that night.
“These attacks started way back in 2001. They started killing us from then till now. Unfortunately, the government is saying nothing. We have surrendered everything to God. We can’t fight them.
One attack too many
On March 31, 2022, herdsmen attacked La’ake Village of Kwall District, Rigwe Chiefdom. A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Davidson Malison, said two people were killed in the attack with houses razed.
“Four motorcycles were burnt, 10 water pump machines were burnt down, nine generators were also burnt while three motorcycles were carted away.
“The attack, according to eyewitnesses, started around 1:05 am and lasted more than two hours unchecked. The entire Village has been sacked.
“The land has suffered a lot and the damages are becoming unbearable. The agenda of ethnic cleansing of the Rigwe people will not triumph.
“This is the third day the area has continuously been attacked without efforts by those saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizens to curb it,” Malison said. On November 26, 2021, 10 people, six of whom were members of the same family, were said to have been killed by the herders.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of Miango Youth Development Association (MYDA), Nuhu B Nga, after the incident reads: “Te’egbe, a community under Miango District was attacked in the early hours of 26th November, 2021. The attack lingered for more than 2hrs from 12am-2am.
“During the attack, 10 people, six of which were from the same family, were killed. They include Gara Ku (80), Wiye Gara (67), Tala Gara (68), Rikwe BalaYoh (65), Tabitha Danlami (8), Sibi Danlami (4), Friday Musa (35), Daniel Mandi (45), Mweri Chogo (86) and Ayo Balai (6).
“They were claimed and buried today.
“Three persons identified as Musa Kwa, Sibi Gara and Nma Weyi sustained some level of injuries and are currently receiving treatment.
“About 278 residential rooms belonging to 114 households were burnt down completely. Fifty-seven food barns, with the exception of kitchens and bathrooms, were also affected. This singular incident led to the displacement of over 690 persons in that area.
“This calculated attack was carried out by the herdsmen who intruded from the boundaries of Kaduna-Plateau. Eyewitnesses have it that the attackers came en masse to carry out this devilish act.”
The councillor representing Taagbe Ward in Bassa Local Government Area, Hon. Daro Adams Ruvo, expressed worry that the attacks have been happening for a long time without any help for the people. He said: “That April 2 incident claimed the lives of one of my brothers and a neighbour’s son, including a husband to my younger sister.
“This is becoming too serious and worrisome. At times, the murderers will call to inform you that they are coming. You will think that it is a joke, but they will come and attack the village.
“We have been calling on the government but there is no action. There are soldiers in some of the communities but the killers can come and attack in their presence. When you ask them questions, they will say they were not given the go ahead to shoot at anybody. That is what has been happening.