…Says Over 200 Armed Bandits Move Freely, Set Houses Ablaze
By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Federal lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyim federal constituency at the green chamber, Hon Sulaiman Abubakar has called for more military presence in Zamfara State following the renewed attack by armed militias.
Hon Sulaiman who said that Zamfara state has witnessed a lot of peace in the last four years, however expressed shock on how 200 armed bandits will freely move about killing and maiming people as well as setting houses ablaze without security agencies intercepting them.
He lamented the renewed attacked on the good people of Zamfara state despite the relatively peace enjoying by the people in the recent time orchestrated by the peace brokered by the state governor, His Excellency Gov. Bello Muhammad Matawall.
Sundiata Post recalls that the House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously resolved to investigate root causes of renewed attack by bandits in Zamfara State.
The House also among other resolutions urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief to victims in affected areas.
The resolution is sequel to a matter of urgent national importance brought before the House by Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.
Hon. Abubakar while leading the debate on the motion, said that bandits in their hundreds operated unhindered for two consecutive days in his constituency, adding that the militias were killing and burning houses.
He said the attackers’ target was a village called Karaye, saying the motive behind the attack still remains unknown.
He expressed worry over the inaction of security agencies, given the minute by minute intelligence on the operation of the bandits.
“Their main focus was a village called
Karaye, they surrounded that location, destroyed the whole village, there is no
house that is standing.
“And what they do is they push a family into a house and set it ablaze and you
cannot come out. Once you come out, they shoot you”.
He said children were not speared by the attackers, adding that three years old were left with bullet wounds. He alleged the attackers were coming from either Zamfara and or Sokoto.
“If you go to the hospital in Gummi right now, you see three years old with gunshot wound on the leg. If you see the gory pictures from Karaye, you’ll weep.
“These people move from the surrounding bushes, from Sokoto and Kebbi and we believe they came from those areas. They move in hundreds, almost 200 on motor-circles.”
The PDP federal lawmaker called on the government of Kebbi and Sokoto to keep aside party differences and support the peace initiative of Governor Bello Matawalle.
“Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara, it is not about party issue. It is not about whether it is an APC or PDP state, it is about human lives. We need to do the needful to save lives. We need to encourage what governor Bello Matawalle is doing in Zamfara” he said.
He urged the federal government to increase military presence in Zamfara to consolidate the peace effort of Matawalle, adding that once the people get use to peace they would reject violence.
“We need more military presence, at least for the next one year to enhance stability. You know, once people start to enjoy peace, going back to violence will be difficult,” he said.
Meanwhile, he commended the proactive steps taken by Governor Matawalle in identifying with the victims of the attacks and revealed that his constituents have accepted the attack in good fate and promised not to retaliate as a mark of support for the governor’s peace initiative.
“The good people of my constituency have taken it in good fate not to retaliate, which is good and key to the survival of the peace accord. And couple with the actions of the governor, he was present. He sent a very powerful delegation; we met the victims and we had a very good talk. He consoled them and did all he needed to do as governor. I am hoping it ends there, if it is reprisal,” he stated